FundQuest is an initiative of RampUp Advisory and Chamber for Advancement of Small & Medium scale Business (CASMB). RampUp Advisory was founded in 2020 to advise start-ups and SMEs on how to be fundable and funding ready to make the fundraising process smooth for them. CASMB works closely with stakeholders for the advancement of micro, small and medium-scale businesses.

Fi India & Hi, co-located with Propak India is an event conducted and solely dedicated to Food Ingredients in India. It's a business platform for food & beverage professionals and was recently held from 21- 23 September 2022 at Bengaluru International Exhibition Centre, Bengaluru. This event was attended by more than 8,000 attendees and 200+ exhibitors.

Bengaluru is a well-known automation and IT hub, leading the automation services for the F&B sector with 171 DPIIT-recognized food tech start-ups in Bengaluru.

FundQuest is a great platform for start-ups to raise funds and move further in their entrepreneurial journey. It took place on 23 September at Fi India & Hi and included 6 start-ups pitching their ideas in front of 4 investors.

The start-ups which presented their pitches were:

LD foods – The company focuses on the serious issue of the perishability of fruits & vegetables in the market. LD foods’ idea is to overcome it by the extension of shelf life. Chief Executive Officer, Vinod Jobanputra explained how they have come up with a solution to keep the nutrition in food & vegetables intact by drying them at affordable prices.

Shaivaa Algaetech- Jariwala came up with the idea to tackle the challenge of providing sustainable food & nutrition using micro-algae. This could help many market segments such as nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, animal feed, and F&B.

Jawari Company- Proprietor Shilpa Mantagani is an entrepreneur promoting traditional regional food in all markets. They promote nutrition by providing millet-based foods.

Farmer Goods- Senthil Vadivel believes in producing crops organically. They are currently working on value addition to the produced goods.

Beekay’s – Beekay’s group of companies focuses on bakeries and confectionaries. They serve a wide range of baked & fried snacks, along with exotic ice-cream flavors, pastries, pasta, pizzas, and frozen desserts. Bhat and the team want to increase their market share in modern retail, catering, and outlet markets.

Zazen Systems- The company is a manufacturer of freezers and chillers with energy optimization by using solar energy and DC power. Sriram Narayanmurthy, CEO has developed innovative products that are energy efficient and give faster cooling along with fast charging of the devices.

The event concluded with an impressive range of presentations and pitches followed by discussion among investors.