หนึ่งในเวทีสำคัญของโครงการคือ Thai Kitchen Demo Day ซึ่งจัดขึ้น ณ IMPACT Culinova ภายใต้แนวคิด “Crafting the Future of Food: Turning Innovation into Market Success”
NIA and Kasetsart University Accelerate 12 Thai FoodTech Ventures
NIA and Kasetsart University Accelerate 12 Thai FoodTech Ventures from Innovation to Market
Thailand’s National Innovation Agency (Public Organization), or NIA, has joined forces with Kasetsart University to accelerate 12 Thai food innovation ventures through the Thai Kitchen 2026: Crafted FoodTech Accelerator Program, aiming to transform promising food technologies into commercially viable businesses with opportunities for international expansion.
The initiative connects entrepreneurs with technology, knowledge, market opportunities, business networks and innovation funding mechanisms, supporting Thailand’s ambition to evolve from the “Kitchen of the World” into a future food innovation hub.
Thailand’s agricultural and agro-industrial sectors remain major contributors to the economy, generating more than THB 1.7 trillion in exports. Applying technology and innovation to food businesses is therefore seen as an important mechanism for creating higher value and strengthening the country’s competitiveness.
Dr. Krithpaka Boonfueng, Executive Director of NIA, said developing innovation-driven entrepreneurs requires more than creating good products or technologies. The key is turning innovation into solutions that meet genuine market demand and create viable business opportunities.
Thai Kitchen consequently places strong emphasis on market validation, business-model development and growth readiness, enabling participating entrepreneurs to move beyond product development toward sustainable commercialization.
A key milestone of the program was Thai Kitchen Demo Day, held at IMPACT Culinova under the theme “Crafting the Future of Food: Turning Innovation into Market Success.”
The 12 participating ventures presented their transformation journeys to experts, investors, private-sector representatives and food-industry stakeholders, demonstrating progress in product development, market understanding, business strategy and commercialization.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Srijittra Charoenlarpnopparut, Vice President for Innovation and Academic Services at Kasetsart University, said Thai Kitchen 2026 aims to develop a new generation of food entrepreneurs capable of using Food Technology and Innovation to differentiate their businesses, create added value and respond to rapidly changing consumer demand.
Four ventures received recognition during the Demo Day.
Kinsen, a flour-free chicken breast noodle product, received the Popular Vote Award.
Nutriflow, a meal-replacement and weight-management product, and Baan Muen Pee, a calcium-enriched crispy fish snack, received the Best Engagement Award.
MAKVAN, a Thai sauce featuring makhwaen spice powder, received the Best Performance Award.
The other participating innovations included KULABEEF, ready-to-eat Thai Wagyu larb produced using jasmine-rice koji fermentation; Kreungton, a ready-made holy basil sauce; Bienvica, a carbonated rose-and-cactus beverage; LEMON ME, reduced-bitterness rolled lemon peel; Raisiriwat, mixed-fruit sheets; Sinar Brew, pineapple vinegar produced through a single-stage co-fermentation process; Early Me, instant soy milk powder; and Telarde, a plant-based fish sauce.
The program represents a broader effort to build an ecosystem connecting knowledge, technology, innovation, markets, funding and business networks, enabling Thai food entrepreneurs to turn innovation into scalable commercial opportunities.
Ultimately, Thai Kitchen 2026 seeks to help entrepreneurs move beyond simply having “good innovation” toward building businesses that can genuinely grow, strengthening Thailand’s FoodTech competitiveness and creating new opportunities in global markets.