On December 13 and 14, 2025, the hackathon Hack the Fork, focused on plant-based innovation using AI, took place at École 42 in Paris, France. Students from the FIPDes programme (Cohorts 13 and 14) proudly represented the program, participating across interdisciplinary teams alongside members with technical backgrounds and working during 36 hours of collaborative innovation. As the first edition of the event, Hack the Fork also featured workshops on topics such as how to use Blackbox AI, challenges in plant-based food development, and how to measure project impact.

Throughout the event, FIPDes students contributed with their backgrounds to address real-world challenges in food systems. Hanu Sharma and Agathy Chaaya (Cohort 13) collaborated with brilliant tech minds, Emilien Vivier, Malek Chamas, and one teammate who prefers to stay anonymous, to develop FoodNova AI, an AI-driven concept designed to support food R&D teams, particularly in plant-based innovation, by assisting with ingredient selection, ingredient functionality analysis, formulation logic, and sustainability considerations.

Verónica Alpízar and Sofia Martellato, from Cohort 14, working alongside Fares Boudelaa and Rayane Ghilène, developed AroMatch.ai, a solution based on food chemistry data to analyze and compare the molecular composition of foods and enable the creation of target aromas using plant-based alternatives. Their project was selected among the Top 10 finalists, earning the opportunity to present their prototype to the jury.

Finally, Andrea de la Cruz, from Cohort 14, along with Gabriel Guiet-Dupré, Malik Hassane, Elias Moussouni, and Paul Chevalier, addressed the challenge of fermentation in bioreactors, a process known to be complex, unstable, and difficult to predict. Their project, ReaKt, delivered a software solution capable of predicting future fermentation states and optimizing industrial fermentation, earning them second place in the competition.

Beyond the results, Hack the Fork was a valuable experience. The FIPDes programme provides tools for the students to identify, structure, and communicate complex challenges that can be addressed with AI, fostering a shared language between food science, engineering, and data to support the future of sustainable food systems.