About SPRK
At SPRK, we work every day to solve the problem so that food waste will soon be a thing of the past. We are a diverse team, combining different talents and areas of expertise. We are all united by the desire to create a new ecosystem, building strong partnerships in the process to scale the impact. We work in an open and modern co-working space (Space Shack) in Schöneberg, remotely, or we visit our partners to get to know them. We are already a team of more than 20 but we are still growing!
SPRK Timeline
June 2020
Extreme Tech Challenge
January 2021
SUSTAINABLE CATERING USING FOOD SURPLUS
SPRK and the catering company Optimahl start offering products and daily specials in the restaurants of Berlin’s esswirtschaft. 75 percent of each meal is made using top-quality, redistributed surplus food.
March 2021
NOMINATION FOR ZU GUT FÜR DIE TONNE AWARD
SPRK is nominated for the German federal award Zu gut für die Tonne in the Digitalization category. The 2021 federal award focused on the connection between our food waste and global warming.
May 2021
FUTURE OF FOOD
SPRK is part of the Future of Food fellowship programme. The aim is to scale the impact by means of exchange with peers, experts, and investors from around the world.
July 2021
growing team
We are already a team of more than 20 but we are still growing!
March 2020
SPRK is founded
SPRK’s idea of building a B2B trading platform for food was born back in 2017. After a successful proof of concept, SPRK.global was finally founded in March 2020.
November 2020
SEED FUNDING SECURED
SPRK.global secures seven-figure seed funding. The founders of Toniebox/Boxine, the co-founder of Zanox Jens Hewald, the Corporate President of Samsung Electronics, and many other family-run companies, business angels, and entrepreneurs invest in the vision. SPRK plans to use the fresh capital to build its technological distribution platform and to expand its infrastructure and logistics. Read more (#1)
February 2021
COLLABORATION WITH DIE ARCHE AND SOS-KINDERDORF BERLIN
Collaboration with non-profit organizations is an integral part of SPRK’s approach.
So far, around 30 tons of food has been delivered to Die Arche and SOS-Kinderdorf Berlin. This is equivalent to roughly 75,000 meals. Most notably, SPRK mainly supplied the children’s foundations with fruit and vegetables – food that is otherwise rarely donated.
May 2021
deli by sprk
Sustainable indulgence in Berlin: Start-up SPRK.global opens its first deli with dishes made from surplus food. Deli by SPRK forms part of the concept to redistribute and process surplus food in order to protect resources and the climate. The goal is for Germany’s capital to become free of food surplus within four years. Read more (#4)
June 2021
google startup advisor
SPRK is part of the Google Startup Advisor Program. The mission of the program is to support and empower social impact startups at scale to solve the world’s biggest problems.
We are hiring!
March 2020
SPRK is founded
SPRK’s idea of building a B2B trading platform for food was born back in 2017. After a successful proof of concept, SPRK.global was finally founded in March 2020.
June 2020
Extreme Tech Challenge
November 2020
Seed Funding Secured
SPRK.global secures seven-figure seed funding. The founders of Toniebox/Boxine, the co-founder of Zanox Jens Hewald, the Corporate President of Samsung Electronics, and many other family-run companies, business angels, and entrepreneurs invest in the vision. SPRK plans to use the fresh capital to build its technological distribution platform and to expand its infrastructure and logistics. Read more (#1)
January 2021
SUSTAINABLE CATERING USING FOOD SURPLUS
SPRK and the catering company Optimahl start offering products and daily specials in the restaurants of Berlin’s esswirtschaft. 75 percent of each meal is made using top-quality, redistributed surplus food.
February 2021
COLLABORATION WITH DIE ARCHE AND SOS-KINDERDORF BERLIN
Collaboration with non-profit organizations is an integral part of SPRK’s approach.
So far, around 30 tons of food has been delivered to Die Arche and SOS-Kinderdorf Berlin. This is equivalent to roughly 75,000 meals. Most notably, SPRK mainly supplied the children’s foundations with fruit and vegetables – food that is otherwise rarely donated.
March 2021
NOMINATION FOR ZU GUT FÜR DIE TONNE AWARD
SPRK is nominated for the German federal award Zu gut für die Tonne in the Digitalization category. The 2021 federal award focused on the connection between our food waste and global warming.
May 2021
deli by sprk
Sustainable indulgence in Berlin: Start-up SPRK.global opens its first deli with dishes made from surplus food. Deli by SPRK forms part of the concept to redistribute and process surplus food in order to protect resources and the climate. The goal is for Germany’s capital to become free of food surplus within four years. Read more (#4)
May 2021
Future of food
SPRK is part of the Future of Food fellowship programme. The aim is to scale the impact by means of exchange with peers, experts, and investors from around the world.
June 2021
google startup advisor
SPRK is part of the Google Startup Advisor Program. The mission of the program is to support and empower social impact startups at scale to solve the world’s biggest problems.
July 2021
growing team
We are already a team of more than 20 but we are still growing!
We are hiring!
How we are moving from waste to value
1
IMPACT AND CHANGE
We strive to make the global supply chain efficient and free of food waste in a sustainable fashion, while driving down food overproduction.
2
Circular economy
By bringing food back into the natural life cycle (SDG #12), we are embracing a circular economy and reducing the impact on the climate (SDG #13).
3
TECHNOLOGY
Our online marketplace is the missing link in our current food supply chain. Our innovative, data-driven distribution approach rapidly and transparently matches food surplus with demand.
4
partnerships
We believe in honest, transparent, and committed relationships with our business and NGO partners. Only together can we crack the global food waste problem with shared goals and mutual support.
Technology that does the trick!
SPRK stands out with its proprietary distribution technology that uses AI to recognize patterns, identifying food surplus and redistributing it in real time. We believe technology is the key to solving global problems like food waste.
Sustainable Development Goals
The United Nations introduced 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests. At SPRK.global, we base our actions and our business model on these SDGs. We focus on SDG 12, 13,17, and 2 in particular. SPRK proactively builds bridges between business, society, and impact to bring systemic change to our planet.
#12
RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION
Creating circular products and production processes
#13
climate action
Making a significant contribution towards fighting climate change
#17
partnerships for the goals
The problem of food waste in the supply chain can only be solved in partnership
#2
Zero hunger
Consideration and integration of people in need in our society
#12
RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION
Creating circular products and production processes
#13
climate action
Making a significant contribution towards fighting climate change
#17
partnerships for the goals
The problem of food waste in the supply chain can only be solved in partnership
#2
Zero hunger
Consideration and integration of people in need in our society
SPRK Management Team
The SPRKians
Jens Lehnen
Junior Supply Chain Manager
Alessia Venturini
Deli Service
Philipp Metzger
Controller
Judith Frase
Commercial Assistant
Maximilian Rose
Account Manager
Sebastian Kalandyk
Logistic Agent
Advisory Board
Food Production & Circularity
Robert Leuendorf
Mirontell Fein & Frisch AG, Lean Production Manager
Social Entrepreneurship
Hans Eike von Oppeln-Bronikowski
Legerwall, Representative of charitable institutions & foundations
Advisory Board
Food Production & Circularity
Robert Leuendorf
Mirontell Fein & Frisch AG, Lean Production Manager
Social Entrepreneurship
Hans Eike von Oppeln-Bronikowski
Legerwall, Representative of charitable institutions & foundations
