FFoQSI

What FFoQSI does

FFoQSI GmbH (Austrian Competence Centre for Feed and Food Quality, Safety & Innovation) is a publicly funded COMET-K1 applied research centre founded in 2017 and headquartered at Technopark 1D, Tulln, with additional research sites at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna (Vetmeduni Vienna) and the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria (FH Upper Austria) campus in Wels. The centre is jointly owned by three Austrian universities (Vetmeduni Vienna, BOKU, and FH Upper Austria) and operates a consortium model in which industry partners co-fund and co-direct applied research. Its work is structured around four competence areas: Feed & Food Quality Improvements, Food Safety & Hygiene Concepts, Sustainable Food Systems, and Digital Transformation of Food Supply Chains.

The technical platform spans multi-omics and advanced analytical methods, including a globally unique multi-analyte LC-MS/MS method capable of simultaneously determining more than 1,200 agrochemicals in food and feed, DNA-metabarcoding assays for species authentication across all seafood classes (crustaceans, molluscs, squid, clams, scallops, oysters, mussels) in raw and processed form, electro-ultrafiltration combined with spectroscopic methods for soil organic carbon assessment, and the SMARTBOW accelerometer system for Precision Livestock Farming. AI/ML is applied in defined use cases such as microbial contamination risk prediction in herb production (random forests, gradient boosting trees, neural networks, symbolic regression), and the centre publishes in top-tier venues including Nature, Nature Communications Biology, and Nature Protocols.

FFoQSI generates revenue through three channels: (1) COMET-K1 programme funding, with the 2025-2028 cycle approved at a total volume of EUR 19.4 million, of which EUR 10.2 million is public funding from Austrian federal ministries (BMK, BMDW) and the provinces of Lower Austria, Upper Austria, and Vienna via FFG; (2) contract research services commissioned by industry on a project basis with non-binding consultation and joint project planning; and (3) scientific partnerships in third-party funding applications such as the EUR 1.47 million Regio-Plants Interreg Bavaria-Austria network (2023-2027). Corporate consortium partners include BIOMIN/DSM-Firmenich, Barilla, AGRANA, Haubis, Fischer Brot, and SAN Agrow, alongside approximately 60% SMEs in the broader partner network. FFoQSI does not publish commercial pricing; partnership costs are determined via individual project consultation.

Name

FFoQSI

Legal name

FFoQSI GmbH

Website

https://ffoqsi.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

FFoQSI is an Austrian COMET-K1 research center combining three university partners with industry collaborators to advance feed and food quality, safety, and sustainability through multi-omics analytics, machine learning, and DNA-based authentication for the European food and feed industry.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food and Feed Research Services

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Quality Assurance (QA) Programs & Supplier Quality Management (AFALAAAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Supplier Approval, Verification & Food Safety Risk Management (GFSI-aligned) (AFALADAH), FSMS Consulting & Implementation (ISO 22000/FSSC 22000/BRCGS/SQF) (AFALANAA)

Keywords

• Food safety research
• Feed quality analytics
• Multi-analyte contaminant testing
• Precision livestock farming
• Sustainable food systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Tulln

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. COMET Programme Funding: Public funding from Austrian Federal Ministries (BMK, BMDW) and provincial governments (Lower Austria, Upper Austria, Vienna) through the COMET-K1 competence centres programme managed by FFG. Total approved funding volume for 2025-2028 is EUR 19.4 million, with EUR 10.2 million in public funding.
2. Contract Research Services: Companies can commission FFoQSI for contract research with non-binding consultation and project calculation, followed by joint research plan development and agreed research work including project management and reporting.
3. Third-Party Project Partnerships: FFoQSI participates as scientific partner in applications for other funding programmes, providing project funding opportunities for consortium partners without requiring separate applications.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

FFoQSI operates as a COMET-K1 research centre delivering applied research and development services covering the feed and food value chain from field to fork. It executes multi-stakeholder consortium research projects in feed quality, food safety and hygiene, sustainable food systems, and digital supply-chain transformation, complemented by fee-based contract research and scientific partnerships for third-party funded programmes. Outputs include validated analytical methods, predictive machine-learning models, sensor-based livestock monitoring, biocontrol and packaging innovations, plus peer-reviewed scientific publications.

Product overview

FFoQSI (Austrian Competence Centre for Feed and Food Quality, Safety & Innovation) is a COMET K1 research center that operates as a modular research platform rather than a commercial product company. The organization is structured around four main competence areas: Feed & Food Quality Improvements (covering fermentation, additives, processing), Food Safety & Hygiene Concepts (including accelerated analysis, toxicity testing, biofilm detection), Sustainable Food Systems (packaging, biocontrol, authenticity), and Digital Transformation of Food Supply Chains (AI/ML, autonomous systems). Specific research projects include PLF Health Monitoring (sensor-based animal monitoring), Biodegradable Packaging, Regio-Plants, Herb Stability Prediction using machine learning, Animal Species Differentiation via DNA barcoding, and Soil Carbon Indicators. The center combines expertise from BOKU, VetMedUni Vienna, and FH Upper Austria with industry partners, operating from locations in Tulln, Vienna, and Wels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• COMET-K1 Research Programme 2025–2028 Multi-year applied research programme approved by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) with a EUR 19.4 million total funding volume (EUR 10.2 million public funding), addressing food pathogen control, sustainable field management, alternative food packaging, and AI/autonomous machines in agriculture; available to corporate and research consortium partners.
• Contract Research Services Fee-based commissioned research for companies that are not COMET consortium members, beginning with non-binding consultation and project calculation, followed by joint research plan and agreed research work with project management and reporting.
• Scientific Partnership for Third-Party Funded Projects Participation as scientific partner in applications for other funding programmes (e.g. Interreg), providing consortium partners additional project funding opportunities without the need for a separate application.
• Multi-analyte LC-MS/MS Contaminant Analysis Service Analytical service based on FFoQSI's globally unique method for the simultaneous determination of more than 1,200 agrochemicals in food and feed samples for industry and research partners.
• PLF Health Monitoring (SMARTBOW System) Precision livestock farming research offering using SMARTBOW accelerometer sensors and video monitoring to enable automated monitoring of feeding, reproduction, animal health and welfare in dairy farms.
• Animal Species Differentiation (DNA Metabarcoding) DNA-metabarcoding assay for unambiguous species identification across all major seafood classes (crustaceans, molluscs, squid, snails, clams, scallops, oysters, mussels) in raw and processed state using next-generation sequencing.
• Herb Stability Prediction System (Machine Learning) Predictive quality service using machine learning (random forests, gradient boosting, neural networks, symbolic regression) to forecast microbial contamination risk in dried herb batches from cultivation and processing parameters.
• Soil Carbon Indicators (EUF + Spectroscopy) Soil quality assessment service combining electro-ultrafiltration with modern spectroscopic methods to efficiently measure influences on soil organic carbon formation.
• Plant Bioactives Biotransformation Research Research combining acid hydrolysis and bacterial fermentation to improve bioavailability and bioactivity of plant-based active substances such as citrus flavonoids.
• Biodegradable Packaging Development Research project developing eco-friendly paper-based packaging solutions with barrier properties for food preservation, in collaboration with RECENDT's infrared and Raman spectroscopy expertise.
• Biocontrol of Downy Mildew Research Research investigating yeasts and bacteria for biological control of grapevine downy mildew caused by Plasmopara viticola, conducted with SAN Agrow and AIT Bioresources.
• Antagonistic Myxomycetes (Myxanta) Research Research investigating predatory activity of slime moulds against fungal plant pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici for biological control.
• Organic Oil Processing Research Research developing innovative oils from regional and organic cultivation with herb/spice additives and utilisation of protein-rich press cake by-products.
• Regio-Plants Network Research Interdisciplinary research network under Interreg Bavaria-Austria funding (EUR 1.47M project, 2023–2027) on health-promoting plant materials from the Bavaria-Tyrol-Upper Austria corridor, with partners TUM, Hochschule Weihenstephan-Triesdorf, and ADSI.
• Accelerated Multiclass Contaminant Analysis Rapid analytical methods research for simultaneous detection and quantification of multiple contaminant classes in food and feed samples.
• MIND — Mycotoxin Detection Project Research project focused on advanced mycotoxin detection and monitoring methodologies in feed and food.

Quantifiable outcome

• Developed predictive model for microbial contamination risk in herb production using machine learning
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability8 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna (Vetmeduni)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 August 2024Scientific partner and shareholder of FFoQSI. Vetmeduni provides the Scientific Director (Prof. Martin Wagner) and hosts FFoQSI research facilities at the Institute for Food Microbiology. Contributes expertise in molecular food biology and food microbiology.
• University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 August 2024Scientific partner and shareholder. Hosts FFoQSI at IFA-Tulln campus. Prof. Rudolf Krska heads the Institute of Bioanalytics and is Area Leader for Sustainable Food Systems. BOKU researchers contribute extensively to publications.
• FH Upper Austria (University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 August 2024Scientific partner and shareholder. FFoQSI has research locations at Wels campus. FH-Prof. Julian Weghuber serves as Area Leader GREEN. FH Upper Austria contributes food technology and nutrition expertise.
• BIOMIN (part of DSM-Firmenich)coreTechnology or Integration · 7 August 2024Corporate consortium partner. First author David Steiner conducted dissertation research at BOKU/IFA-Tulln as part of FFoQSI project in cooperation with BIOMIN. Company partner in feed monitoring programme using multi-analyte LC-MS/MS method.
• Fischer BrotminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 August 2024Corporate consortium partner in the COMET-K1 research programme 2025-2028.
• SAN AgrowminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 August 2024Corporate consortium partner in the COMET-K1 research programme 2025-2028. Contributes to biocontrol research for downy mildew in grapevines.
• HaubisminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 August 2024Corporate consortium partner in the COMET-K1 research programme 2025-2028.
• BarillaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 August 2024Corporate consortium partner in the COMET-K1 research programme 2025-2028. Contributes to food safety research including mycotoxin studies.
• DSM-FirmenichminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 August 2024Corporate consortium partner in the COMET-K1 research programme 2025-2028. Supported translation of Rudolf Krska's book 'Toxin-free Food?' to Chinese.
• AGRANAminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 August 2024Corporate consortium partner in the COMET-K1 research programme 2025-2028.
• Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 August 2024Scientific partner in the research programme. Contributes expertise in biocontrol of downy mildew in grapevines through Bioresources department.
• TU Wien (Technical University of Vienna)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 August 2024Scientific partner in the research programme. Contributes water safety expertise.
• RECENDT (Research Center for Non Destructive Testing)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 August 2024Scientific partner. Contributes infrared and Raman spectroscopy expertise for biodegradable packaging research.
• Gyeongsang National University (South Korea)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 August 2024International scientific partner in the research programme.
• MicrobiomeSupport AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 May 2024FFoQSI is a founding member of this association which aims to increase awareness of food system microbiomes across stakeholder groups and boost microbiome-based applications globally.
• China National Center for Food Safety Risk AssessmentminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 November 2023Supported translation and book presentation of 'Toxin-free Food?' by Rudolf Krska at Beijing conference.
• Romer Labs / DSM-FirmenichminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 November 2023Supported translation of Rudolf Krska's book to Chinese for presentation at Beijing conference.
• Queen's University BelfastcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2023Prof. Rudolf Krska holds a professorship at Queen's University Belfast's Institute for Global Food Security. Significant research collaboration with 90+ joint publications. Partnership with FFoQSI on analytical chemistry and food safety research.
• Hochschule Weihenstephan-TriesdorfminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2023Project partner in Regio-Plants network (Interreg Bavaria-Austria). Contributes to research on health-promoting plant-based raw materials.
• Technical University of Munich (TUM)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2023Project partner in Regio-Plants network (Interreg Bavaria-Austria). Contributes molecular sensor expertise.
• Austrian Drug Screening Institute GmbH (ADSI)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2023Project partner in Regio-Plants network (Interreg Bavaria-Austria).
• Österreichische Bergkräutergenossenschaft eGenminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Project partner in machine learning research for herb quality prediction. Cooperative of approximately 60 innovative farmers in Upper Austria's Mühlviertel region for organic herb cultivation and sale.
• University of Applied Sciences Hagenberg (Bioinformatics Research Group)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Research partner in machine learning project with Österreichische Bergkräutergenossenschaft for applied statistics and predictive modelling.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Mérieux NutriSciences: Specialized food testing and safety services subsidiary of Institut Mérieux, offering microbiological, chemical, and shelf-life testing. Closely comparable to FFoQSI's feed and food safety testing capabilities, particularly in mycotoxin and contaminant analysis.
• Agroscope: Swiss federal research institute for agriculture, food, and environmental research. Comparable to FFoQSI's feed & food quality, safety, and sustainable food systems research areas, operating under a similar publicly funded competence-center model in a neighboring Alpine country.
• Max Rubner Institute: German federal research institute under the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, focused on food safety, quality, and nutrition. Highly comparable to FFoQSI's research-center model covering feed and food quality, hygiene, and safety from a public-sector perspective.
• Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV: German applied research institute focused on food processing, quality, and packaging. Closely comparable to FFoQSI's sustainable food systems and biodegradable packaging research area, with a similar publicly funded institute operating model.
• Wageningen Food & Biobased Research: Netherlands-based public research institute under Wageningen University covering food quality, safety, and sustainable food systems. Highly comparable to FFoQSI's competence-center model — publicly funded, multi-area food/feed research with industry consortium partners across Europe.

Broad incumbents

• SGS: One of the world's largest testing, inspection, and certification companies with extensive food and agricultural testing services. Overlaps with FFoQSI on contaminant testing and food safety/quality assurance, but as a global commercial incumbent rather than a research-driven centre.
• Intertek: Global testing, inspection, and certification provider with a dedicated food services division. Overlaps with FFoQSI's food safety, contaminant testing, and quality assurance capabilities at commercial scale.
• Eurofins Scientific: Global leader in food and feed testing services, offering contaminant, pesticide residue, and microbiological analysis at commercial scale. Comparable to FFoQSI's analytical chemistry capabilities, but operating as a commercial, publicly listed global network rather than a publicly funded research centre.

Others

• Queen's University Belfast — Institute for Global Food Security: Academic institute where FFoQSI's Area Leader Rudolf Krska holds a professorship and where 90+ joint publications exist. While not a commercial peer, it is a deep scientific collaborator and a comparable institute operating in global food safety and analytical chemistry research.

Emerging players

• Romer Labs (DSM-Firmenich): Specialist in mycotoxin and food contaminant testing solutions, also a current partner of FFoQSI and consortium member. Comparable in the focused mycotoxin and contaminant testing niche, with stronger commercial productization of diagnostic kits.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ffoqsi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about FFoQSI