Imagine stepping into a place where scientists, entrepreneurs, farmers and top chefs are working together on the next generation of our food. Sounds like the plot of a futuristic movie? Welcome to the Food Campus Berlin! And who is pulling the strings here? None other than Lia Carlucci, Berlin’s superhero of sustainable nutrition. In an exclusive interview with GICA, she reveals her visions and challenges.
Live longer – with love from Berlin
Let’s be honest: don’t we all want to live as long, healthy and happy as possible? Newsflash: Health starts with our diet.
Lia Carlucci, CEO of Food Campus Berlin, puts it in a nutshell: “There is enough scientific evidence to prove that a primarily plant-based, sustainable diet makes us live ten years longer on average.”
But at the moment, people are still a long way from this life-prolonging diet. Millions die earlier than necessary and suffer from diseases that could be avoided – with better nutrition. But how do we get there?
The Food Campus Berlin wants to show us the way to a long, healthy life through good, sustainable food.
More than just a lab
Food Campus Berlin is no ordinary place. Here, the future of nutrition is not only researched, but also lived.
Lia explains: “The Food Campus Berlin is a center for the future of nutrition. The facts show that our current food system will no longer be able to feed people in a healthy and sustainable way in the future. We need a change in our food system. We want to be a catalyst for this.”
Lia is the woman of the hour when it comes to sustainable nutrition.
Her mission at the Food Campus Berlin? A future of food that everyone wants. Because, as she says herself:
“We need a social transformation. It’s not just an energy transition, a food transition, a climate transition – we have to start with the people. 80 percent of Germans believe that the future will be worse than our past.
If you don’t believe in a positive image of the future, you have no inner motivation to change anything.”
Food = emotion
Nutrition is not just a question of the stomach, but also of the heart.
Lia has realized this: “The topic of nutrition is incredibly emotionally charged. The way some people react when they hear terms like ‘vegetarian’, ‘vegan’ or ‘plant-based’ is far from rational. They think we want to take something away from them. But we always say: it’s not about giving up anything, it’s about expanding the range.”
More variety instead of giving up – that could convince even the most skeptical meat lovers. If we manage to lure people away from their favorite sausage, nothing is impossible.
One particularly exciting area of research at the Food Campus is precision fermentation.
Lia explains: “You can recreate any flavor in the world through precision fermentation by using targeted microorganisms. ”
A yummy, healthy pizza full of “smart proteins” from the lab? Yes, please!
Berlin – the perfect place for a future-oriented forge
Why is Berlin the perfect location for a future-oriented project like the Food Campus Berlin? Certainly not because of the healthy food culture between kebabs and currywurst.
Lia says: “Berlin is the startup capital of Germany. Almost 17 percent of all German start-ups are based in Berlin, 60 percent of the 10 billion in venture capital is invested in Berlin every year. Over 40 percent of Berlin’s founders have an international background. We are an absolutely multicultural city with different skills. There are good funding opportunities, research facilities and playgrounds. Diversity creates innovation.”
The Food Campus Berlin will use this solid foundation to develop the food of the future, and from Berlin, inspire people to eat healthier, good, sustainable food. Together, we will make Berlin the Global Impact Capital.
Be part of it!
The Food Campus Berlin welcomes all forms of support. Whether tenants, partners or simply interested visitors – everyone can contribute:
“The German market is one of the most important markets in Europe. If international companies want to innovate, the Berlin area is an incredibly good testing ground for new products. We are very happy to have physical tenants on campus and any other support.”
On your marks, get set, build!
Construction work on the Food Campus has begun and completion is planned for summer 2026:
Lia: “Planning permission has been granted, now we’re getting started. Completion is in summer 2026.”
Lia Carlucci and the Food Campus Berlin team are more than just visionaries – they are doers. With a mixture of passion, science and enough humor to survive the Berlin administration, they are working on a sustainable and healthy future for us all. Perhaps we will soon be living longer and healthier lives.
So, keep your eyes peeled – the food revolution is coming sooner than you think!
Lia Carlucci on LinkedIn? Here!
