Can Robots secure Europe’s Food System?

​The hosts:

• ​Philip Stark, OysterBay

• ​Julius Strauss, FoodLabs

​What is this Ripple about?

​Hormuz, Ukraine, AGI - threats to food supply are increasing, and Europe needs to make more of what we eat. But with labour costs rising and immigration rules tightening, can robots ride to the rescue?

​⁠Why this topic timely or urgent in 2026

​Rising labour costs, rising input costs, rising transport costs; but robots are getting dramatically smarter and cheaper and could allow Europe to make more of what we eat again.

​⁠Key questions or challenges being explored

• ​Which are the best opportunities (the most urgent shortages, the most robotics-ready)?

• ​What makes robotics startups uniquely hard, and what are the keys to winning?

• ​How can Europe compete with China and the US?

​⁠The main tension or debate at the heart of this discussion

​How much can we rely on cheap-labour countries for our food (particularly our fruits & vegetables that are more labour-intensive)? Food sovereignty is never a priority until it's too late. But could robots level the playing field?

​Who would get the most value from attending this Ripple?

​Founders and investors in Ag robotics; anyone interested in food security or potentially dual-use defence applications