This Spanish FoodTech Startup Just Raised $1.1M to Decode What You Really Taste

Jan de Vries · 2026-07-20

### What if your next snack was designed by AI that knows exactly what you crave? That's not a pitch for a sci-fi movie. It's the reality Sensesbit is building right now. This Lugo-based FoodTech startup just closed a $1.1 million funding round (converted from €1 million) to scale its AI-powered sensory intelligence platform and push into new markets. The round was backed by Clave Capital, Eoniq Fund, WindOne Consultores, and Paraíso Natural Ventures—the investment arm of Grupo Central Lechera Asturiana. Not bad for a company that started as a research project at the University of Santiago de Compostela. ### The problem Sensesbit is solving For years, food companies have focused on cutting costs and optimizing production lines. But there's a huge blind spot: nobody really knew what consumers would feel when they tasted a new product. Sensory analysis existed, sure, but it was slow, expensive, and relied heavily on expert panels that couldn't scale. "For decades, the industry has focused on optimising costs, processes, and production," said Maruxa Quiroga, CEO and co-founder of Sensesbit. "The next major competitive leap will be understanding, measuring, and anticipating what consumers feel." ### How the platform actually works Sensesbit is a SaaS platform that blends statistics with artificial intelligence. It takes raw sensory data—things like taste tests, texture ratings, and aroma profiles—and turns them into actionable business decisions. - It digitizes sensory analysis so companies can standardize testing across teams and locations - It uses AI to spot patterns humans might miss - It generates recommendations that help product developers tweak formulas before launch According to Quiroga, "We do more than analyse perceptions; we translate science into decisions with financial impact." ### What the funding will do The company plans to use this capital in three key areas: 1. Scaling AI capabilities for sensory analysis and strategic decision-making 2. Expanding the team in product, data science, and business development 3. Strengthening its presence in Europe and Latin America Starting in 2026, the platform will incorporate agentic AI—a fancy term for AI that can independently analyze large volumes of sensory data, identify patterns, generate recommendations, and help teams make faster, more accurate decisions. ### Why this matters for food companies Developing new food products is risky. You spend months (sometimes years) on R&D, only to launch something that flops because consumers just don't connect with it. Sensesbit aims to reduce that risk by giving companies data-driven insights into what people actually want to eat again. "Taste is the primary driver of repeat purchases," Quiroga concluded. "If consumers do not connect with a product on a sensory level, they will not buy it again." ### The bottom line Sensesbit was founded by four scientists from a research group at the University of Santiago de Compostela. It's a joint venture between USC and UNIRISCO. The company is positioning itself as the bridge between scientific sensory analysis and practical business strategy. With this fresh funding, they're betting that the future of food innovation isn't just about cheaper ingredients or faster production—it's about understanding exactly what makes people say "I want more of that." And honestly? That feels like a bet worth taking.