Modoru Biotech and metaBIX Biotech have won the Innovation and Sustainability awards from KM ZERO Food Innovation Hub. The Spanish Modoru develops a double-stranded RNA-based biopesticide.
Modoru Biotech and metaBIX Biotech have won the Startups Awards 2026 awarded by KM ZERO Food Innovation Hub, as reported by ecosistemastartup.com. The former, a Spanish biotechnology company, received the award for Innovation; the latter, a Uruguayan deeptech platform, won the Sustainability award. This year, 14 startups from six countries competed: Mexico, Spain, Brazil, Canada, Guatemala, and Uruguay.
The jury consisted of Alejandro Guzmán (Grupo Arancia), Ernesto Aguiar (Sigma), Jessica Ramírez (Bimbo Ventures), Natalia Mondragón (Prosper Global Ventures), and Charlie Travers (Angel Ventures).
The award includes support from the KM ZERO Open Innovation programme, access to investors and corporates, and participation in international hub events.
“These are projects that arrive with very concrete solutions to real challenges in the sector and that, connected with large companies, investors, and other ecosystem players, can accelerate their integration into the industry and market entry.”
— Catalina Valencia, Director of Community and Major Events at KM ZERO.
The 2026 edition had a Latin American accent: Mexico contributed five finalists (Ala Terra, Riise, Nektar, XiA'H, and GMO Detectives), Spain three (Modoru, Aldous, and Flipflow), Uruguay two (metaBIX and Polymera), and Brazil (Typcal), Canada (A-Scent Innovations), and Guatemala (Ingenicrop) one each.
Modoru Biotech has developed a double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) biopesticide targeting the CGMMV (Cucumber Green Mottle Mosaic Virus), combined with nanoencapsulation technology for application on the plant. The startup is part of a mission to Mexico organised by Valencia Innovation Capital alongside KM ZERO, opening the door to the Mexican agro-industrial market.
metaBIX Biotech has been recognised for an environmental bio-surveillance system that combines bioaerosol capture, molecular diagnostics, and artificial intelligence to detect and predict pathogens in animal production and the food industry.
The KM ZERO Startups Awards have established themselves as a platform to connect European foodtech with Latin American foodtech. The next call will be announced on the hub's official channels.
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