As part of the "Lange Nacht der Wissenschaften" (LNDW) on 28th of June 2025, Dr Dagmara Weckowska, Dr Rosalyn Old and Madita Amoneit hosted an interactive workshop entitled "Food of the future: Can alternative protein innovations create sustainable systems?"

The interactive workshop included discussions on the prevailing but failing practices in the agri-food system, the visions for the future of such systems and the ‘pockets of the future’ visible in the present and alternative protein innovations such as plant-based meat, cultured meat, edible insects and food produced with macrobial ‘cell factories’. The Three Horizon Framework was used to critically examine whether such innovations will help shape future food systems or rather optimise business-as-usual.

We would like to thank all participants for their contributions and for the vivid dialogue.