NATURAL SMARTER PULSE

Natural Smarter Pulse (NSPulse) is an innovative startup founded in July 2023 and headquartered in Bolzano, established with the ambition of radically redefining the plant-based products sector through an advanced scientific approach based on biotechnological fermentation and the application of artificial intelligence. The goal is to overcome the nutritional, organoleptic, and usability limitations that have so far hindered the large-scale adoption of plant-based alternatives to animal proteins.

The team starts from a clear premise: despite the growth in plant-based offerings, currently available products have not yet achieved significant consumption rates because they often present: unsatisfactory sensory profiles, long and unclear ingredient lists, digestive difficulties, nutritional deficiencies, high costs, and the perception of being “compromised products.”

NSPulse aims to turn this paradigm on its head by introducing a new generation of plant-based foods that are tastier, more nutritious, and more affordable.

The technology: advanced fermentation + AI

At the heart of the NSPulse project is an innovative biotechnology system based on the fermentation of legumes and pseudo-grains, aimed at producing plant-based alternatives to meat, cheese, eggs, and fermented beverages with high nutritional value.

Thanks to fermentation using next-generation protocols, the products are:

• highly digestible, with improved bioavailability of micronutrients;
• sensory-pleasing (juicy, substantial, pleasant on the palate);
• featuring a short, clean ingredient list;
• nutritionally balanced, with complete amino acid profiles;
  free of major allergens.

High-level scientific collaborations

NSPulse develops its technology in collaboration with two leading research centers: the University of Bolzano – ICOFF, an international center of excellence specializing in food fermentation, and La Sapienza University of Rome – Department of Environmental Biology, with dedicated teams. This scientific network ensures methodological rigor, technological advancement, and a structured research pipeline.

AI as a competitive advantage

Through its partnership with BackWelltech GmbH, NSPulse has developed a proprietary AI algorithm to:

• analyze thousands of plant-based raw materials
• map nutritional profiles and processing potential
• identify optimal protein matrices
• evaluate upcycled ingredients
• design optimized fermentation protocols.

AI reduces R&D time and costs, increases development accuracy, and makes the model highly scalable.

Design Thinking: Products Designed in Collaboration with Consumers

For prototype development, NSPulse adopted the Design Thinking methodology, incorporating:

• ongoing sensory testing
• analysis of the needs of target users and B2B customers
• rapid formulation iterations
• validation with potential buyers in the food service, large-
• scale retail, and specialty retail sectors.

This approach enables the creation of plant-based products that are centered on real consumer needs, not just technically advanced.

NSPulse’s innovation: a new protein matrix

The startup’s primary goal is to identify a disruptive plant-based protein matrix, derived from pseudo-grains and fermented legumes, that meets four key criteria:

• Short ingredient list
• Allergen-free
• Excellent nutritional profile (complete proteins)
• High digestibility and excellent sensory performance

This matrix will serve as a base semi-finished product for the creation of B2B2C and B2B lines intended for:

• food manufacturers
• restaurant chains
• the fresh and frozen food industry
• the plant-based category in large-scale retail.

Team: top-tier scientific and managerial expertise

The NSPulse team combines science, technology, industry, AI, and market expertise.

Founders

• Federico Camiciottoli
  C-level senior manager with leadership roles at Parmalat, Cooperlat, and Unigrà, and national and international experience in Europe
• Alberto Salvia
  C-level senior manager with leadership roles at Parmalat, Danone, and Al Safi Danone, and national and international experience in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

Scientific Board & Advisors

• Prof. Marco Gobbetti (UniBZ) – one of Europe’s leading experts in food fermentation (staff: post-docs and PhD students)
• Prof. Carlo Rizzello (La Sapienza) – expert in environmental biology and microbiology
• Massimiliano Gismondi – Founder and CEO of BackWelltech GmbH, leads the AI component
• Andrea Dell’Olio – PhD in Food Science, specializing in fermentation
• Mirko De Leonardis – Technical advisor with many years of experience in the sector

A team that brings together science, technology, industry, AI, and the market: a rare combination in the European plant-based landscape.

A new generation of plant-based products

NSPulse stands out as one of the most advanced and ambitious projects in the alternative protein sector in Italy.

The startup aims to build a new generation of plant-based products capable of:

• meeting the needs of the general public
• offering nutrition and taste without compromise
• reducing the environmental impact of animal proteins
• contributing to the transformation of the European food system.

A project that promises to redefine plant-based products “from raw material to finished product.”