Earlier this week, the 150-year-old super conglomerate Nestlé announced that they’re launching a global platform called Henri@Nestlé as part of a strategic initiative to foster innovation, technological development, and entrepreneurial enterprise.

The campaign looks promising, but it’s in no way an anomaly in the food industry. Uber has done more than just revolutionze the transportation industry: they’ve revealed to the corporate world that orthodoxy is archaic, and that stability is measured by how cutting-edge you are – companies are frightful that they’ll fall behind in the tech surge. Accordingly, the global food tech industry has been expanding from 2012 to the present, with a skyrocketing market in 2015 that saw 273 deals totaling over $6.8 billion of capital flowing into private companies.

Data reveals that the food tech industry has been rapidly growing and will only continue to do so in the future. The bulk of partnerships and funding has been channeled into online ordering and delivery concepts. The US has headed the global food tech market, but India, China, Germany, and the UK are narrowing the gap. Henri@Nestlé is preceded by Nestlé’s 2013 Silicon Valley Innovation Outpost initiative, and the two campaigns prove that they’re eager to stay abreast with market developments and technological innovation. The new platform encourages startups to submit original ideas to Nestlé with the opportunity for successful applicants to be rewarded with funding and the chance to partner, pilot, and execute their ideas.

Projected to launch in the end of June, Henri@Nestlé will provide an online mechanism for startups to partner with Nestlé and gain access to its  reach & extensive brand portfolio.  Kindly mentoring or a desperate attempt to attract tech modernization?  The real question is: will it be enough to remain on top?