From candy made from orange peels to tortilla chips made from algae: Student-run companies from Østfold will bring their innovative and sustainable food products to AI+ 2026, where conference participants will get a taste of the next generation of food innovation.
Ahead of the conference, four student companies from upper secondary schools across the region visited Smart Innovation Norway in Halden for a masterclass in food product development.
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The session was led by the founders of TasteForge, a startup in Smart Innovation Norway’s incubator that develops an AI-driven platform for faster and smarter product development in the food and consumer goods industry.
From orange peels to algae protein
During the visit, the students met TasteForge founders Stig Ola Johansen and Aleksander Johansen, who shared insights from building and launching new food products in a highly competitive market.
“These student companies are working creatively with food and circular resource use. Some turn orange peels into candy, others produce chips from root vegetables, smoothies from surplus fruit and berries, or tortilla chips enriched with algae protein. It’s incredibly exciting to see what they are creating,” says Sille Solberg, responsible for upper secondary education at Ungt Entreprenørskap Østfold.
The student companies represent four upper secondary schools in the region. SnackBack UB from Moss produces candy made from orange peels. TombGULL UB from Råde develops chips made from root vegetables. Too Good To Waste UB from Fredrikstad gives fruit and berries a second life through smoothie products, while Sjøprotein UB from Halden produces tortilla chips made from algae.
Learning from seasoned entrepreneurs
During the masterclass, the students gained both practical advice and a realistic understanding of what it takes to succeed in the food industry. Topics such as product development, packaging and market positioning were central to the session.
“For these student companies, it means a lot to meet entrepreneurs who are actively working in the industry. They gain insight into how demanding the market can be, but also concrete tips they can use as they continue developing their products,” Solberg explains.
Among other things, the students received advice on packaging and product presentation, and the TasteForge founders will also provide packaging samples that the companies can use in their further development work.
Serving the future of food at AI+
Their visit to Smart Innovation Norway also opens the door to a new opportunity: The students have been invited to present and serve their products during AI+ 2026.
“We want to connect young entrepreneurial talents with environments that work professionally with innovation and technology. It provides inspiration and a glimpse of what is possible,” says Tore Lie, Business Developer at Smart Innovation Norway and Project Lead for AI+.
He believes it is important to give young entrepreneurs a platform where they can showcase their work.
“At AI+, people working with technology, innovation and new solutions come together. Having these student companies present their products at the conference is both inspiring and well deserved. They represent the next generation of entrepreneurs,” says Lie.
For the students, being invited into a professional innovation environment is a valuable recognition of their work.
“It’s a great source of pride for the student companies to be seen in this way. They put a lot of effort into developing their projects,” Solberg concludes.
