Tälist: 2024 Impact Report
Disclaimer: We used an artificial intelligence (AI) tool to help refine the wording, but all the information provided below is entirely from Tälist.
1. Introduction
Mission and Vision
At Tälist, we believe in a future where food is sustainable, delicious, and accessible to all—without compromising the health of our planet. Our mission is simple but powerful: to connect top talent with transformative roles in Food Tech and Alternative Proteins using the latest technology.
We help employers in the industry scale their businesses and impact efficiently with our cutting-edge AI-powered talent solutions. For candidates, we provide comprehensive career support through personalized matchmaking, career coaching, masterclasses, online events, and insightful resources like our blog.
2024 Highlights
The past year has been a landmark for Tälist. Here are some of the achievements that defined 2024:
AI Matchmaking Launch: Our innovative AI matchmaking service was launched in May and has since found over 8,600 matches with a score of 9 or higher (out of 10) and 270,000+ matches with a score of 7 or higher. Every match represents a promising connection between exceptional talent and a high-impact role, driving meaningful change within the industry.
Platform Growth: We hosted nearly 18,000 job postings, supported more than 16,000 applications, and facilitated over 200 impactful placements.
Masterclass Success: Our first 6-week cohort saw 30+ participants, with a stellar 94% completion rate.
2. Methodology
Data
Tälist derives its impact data from a combination of platform metrics, third-party data, and direct surveys:
Platform Metrics: As most of our services are platform-based, we can track quantitative data such as the number of job postings, user registrations, clicks on "apply," event registrations, career coaching bookings, and more.
Career Tracking: We analyzed the career changes of 858 logged-in users, based on updates shown on their LinkedIn profiles.
Surveys: On November 4, 2024, we conducted a follow-up survey, inviting 2,826 recipients to share their career outcomes and feedback. We received 237 complete responses (~8.4%).
Data Analysis and Extrapolation
The collected data was used to extrapolate trends and outcomes across the broader user base, providing insights into platform impact and user behavior.
Risks and Limitations
Extrapolation Risks: Extrapolating results from survey respondents or subsets of the user base assumes that these groups are representative of all platform users. However, self-selection bias may influence outcomes—for example, those who responded might feel more strongly (positively or negatively) toward Tälist compared to non-respondents.
Sample Size: With 237 survey respondents out of a broader user base, the sample size may limit the statistical robustness of the extrapolated results.
Causality Limitations: While we track quantitative data, e.g., clicks on "apply," we cannot systematically track every single action and its outcome in terms of job placements. This limits our ability to draw definitive cause-and-effect conclusions about Tälist’s impact on career outcomes.
We are committed to continually improving our methodology to enhance accuracy and transparency in reporting our impact. For any questions about the report or methodology, please feel free to reach out to us at info@talist.org.
3. Our Impact
Alt. Protein Job Board
Tälist offers over 3,000 job listings monthly in the Alternative Protein sector, more than any comparable platform we’ve analyzed. These cover a wide range of roles, from sales to food science, and seniority levels from internships to executive positions. We go beyond the typical job board with various features, such as the impact calculator, which highlights the real-world impact of various roles, e.g., the number of animal lives saved or CO2 emissions reduced.
Alt. Protein Talent Pool
With a rapidly growing talent pool of 4,000+ registered candidates and 16,000 applications, Tälist attracted talent from across the globe in 2024. The majority of users came from the United States (37%), followed by strong engagement in the United Kingdom (12%) and Germany (11%). Other active regions included the Netherlands, Singapore, India, and Australia, highlighting our global reach.
Our platform attracts diverse talent: 20% of applications were for senior roles, 6% for executive-level positions, and 62% were split evenly between entry- and mid-level roles. Internships made up 8% of applications.
Plant-based roles dominated applications (49%), followed by cultivated proteins (12%), precision fermentation (8%), and emerging technologies like biomass fermentation.
AI-Powered Job Matchmaking
Launched in 2024, our AI matchmaking tool ensures candidates and employers find the best match faster and with greater accuracy. As AI continues to disrupt industry after industry, Tälist is proud to pioneer AI-powered talent matching in the Alternative Protein sector, offering innovative solutions to connect mission-aligned talent with employers.
We believe this industry deserves the best services and tools to stay competitive in a rapidly changing world and ensure its success and growth.
Empowering Careers
With our resources, we help professionals succeed and find the right job for them. Our services include:
Masterclass in Alt. Protein Careers: In our first cohort, we had 34 participants with a 94% completion rate who are now equipped with the knowledge and insights to excel in their Alternative Protein careers. Another 34 participants went through our updated second cohort, a 6-week online course.
Career Events: In 6 online events, a total of 284 active participants connected with industry professionals, gained valuable insights, and received answers to their questions about careers in the Alt. Protein sector. Events like “A Day in the Life of …” with guest speakers from the industry and our “Fireside Chats” with Tälist’s CEO Pia Voltz had up to 300 registrations per event.
Career Coaching: A total of 193 first consultation sessions were booked through our website, providing candidates with personalized one-on-one sessions to guide them in finding the right roles.
Impact Benchmark: This tool informs and motivates candidates, as they can measure the impact of their roles in tangible metrics, such as CO2 emissions saved or animal lives impacted.
Blog and Insights: In over 30 new blog articles, professionals gain valuable background information, insights, and deep dives into career-relevant topics, from emerging trends in Alternative Proteins to career strategies and industry insights.
Templates and Resources: Job seekers can use our career resources, including CV & cover letter templates, AI tools, and prompts, to make their applications stand out.
Meaningful Roles
We posted over 17,800 job openings this year and facilitated over 16,700 applications for roles that make a difference.
We enabled 215 impactful career placements, of which 36 could be categorized as counterfactual (= they might not have happened without Tälist).
With up to 30,000+ page views per month, an average of 4 minutes on the platform, and email open rates of up to 65%, we see significant interest in working in the Alternative Protein sector and highlight the demand for the platform and services Tälist provides.
4. Sustainable Impact in Numbers
At Tälist, our mission is to ensure that the best talent finds impactful jobs, helping organizations fill roles faster while amplifying sustainability efforts. Here’s how we’re making a difference:
Zero Hunger: By promoting careers in efficient food production, we help ensure more people are fed with fewer resources.
Climate Action: Jobs facilitated by Tälist contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions through plant-based and cultivated protein innovations.
Life Below Water & Life on Land: Our efforts support sustainable alternatives that minimize environmental degradation and protect ecosystems.
Examples of Impact
An entry-level specialist working full-time on alternatives to dairy products could spare approximately 449 cows from the dairy industry every year.
A full-time manager for poultry product alternatives might save nearly 2 tonnes of CO2e per year, significantly reducing the environmental footprint of food production.
5. Real Stories, Real Impact
Candidates
To complement the above-mentioned figures and facts, here is some ‘anecdotal evidence’ from candidates, showcasing how Tälist has positively impacted their career journeys and supported their professional development:
“You had relevant job offers that I haven't seen elsewhere”
“Impact Career Coaching helped me create a roadmap for transitioning my decades-long career to a new purposeful sector.”
“It's a really good source for relevant jobs. I forwarded the website to people I know with relevant qualifications looking for a job.”
“After the Masterclass, I was able to approach some companies and already have an interview scheduled to discuss work opportunities.”
“They immediately connected me with experts in Alternative Proteins and I was able to gather the data I needed for my research.”
“Tälist has empowered our students to pursue their passion for sustainable and ethical protein alternatives.”
“Although I may not have yet found any remote job for my region, the mode of operation on this platform is quite wholesome and fantastic.”
Organisations
Recognized by industry leaders for its innovative approach, Tälist has become a trusted partner for employers and organizations striving to make an impact in the Alternative Protein and Food Tech sectors. Here’s what some of our partners and clients have said about their experiences working with Tälist:
“Tälist’s mission-driven and sector-focused strategy make them an ideal partner.”
“We were very satisfied with the quality of the presented candidate profiles.”
“Tälist fills a very important gap in the Alternative Protein and Food Tech ecosystem.”
“We were super excited to learn about all the possibilities that we have as an early-stage startup.”
“We are very excited to onboard our new Alternative Protein Sales Manager thanks to your team’s hard work.”
You can find more information on our website.
6. Challenges and Lessons Learned
While Tälist has achieved significant milestones, our journey has not been without challenges and setbacks. Acknowledging these setbacks is essential to provide a balanced perspective and highlight our commitment to continuous improvement.
Partnerships That Evolved or Ended
While many partnerships have flourished, some have come to a natural conclusion. For example, the closure of valued collaborators such as Alt_Collective and Blue Horizon highlights the volatility and rapid changes within the Alternative Protein space. While this represents a setback to our mission, it also creates space for new collaborations and partnerships that align with our evolving strategy.
Resource Limitations
We have been fortunate to receive grants and support, but resource limitations—both in funding and human capital—have influenced the pace of platform development and the rollout of new features. Constant reprioritization and adaptability have been critical to navigating these constraints, allowing us to stay focused on delivering value despite limited resources.
Delays in Execution
Although it was a strategic decision to first build up the candidate side and establish a fully functioning AI platform, we experienced unplanned delays in customer acquisition on the employer side. These delays were compounded by personal health challenges and difficulties with past collaborations. Additionally, our initial projections for candidate placements and employer acquisition were overly optimistic, leading us to adopt an approach that didn’t deliver the anticipated results. Initially, we over-relied on marketing for employer acquisition and underestimated the need for trust-building and education in selling a new service. We’ve since corrected this by adopting a sales-driven strategy, supported by professional sales coaching.
Refining Measurement and Evaluation (M&E)
Looking ahead, one of our key priorities is refining our M&E system. We aim to gather more concrete data, moving away from extrapolation and relying on more direct tracking mechanisms. As we continue to engage more employers, we anticipate that it will become easier to track the impact of our efforts, helping us better quantify the long-term success of our matchmaking platform and its impact on the Alternative Protein sector.
7. Looking Ahead: 2025 Goals
Expanding B2B Services
One of our primary goals for 2025 is to expand our B2B services, which will help us further scale our impact. Our target for 2025 is to onboard 100 new clients, including a mix of established companies and high-growth startups within the Alternative Protein sector. We aim to reduce hiring times for these clients by up to one month faster than industry averages. Specifically, we plan to achieve this by:
Introducing a premium service: Within 48 hours, employers will be connected with pre-selected, mission-aligned candidates that they can directly interview.
Further collaborations: We’ll expand our network of industry partners to provide additional value to clients through joint initiatives, thought leadership, and collaborative research projects.
A new event series: AI in Hiring is designed to educate and connect employers with cutting-edge hiring strategies to stay competitive in a rapidly changing labor market.
Global Reach
From the very beginning, we’ve prioritized being an international platform, connecting talent and opportunities across continents. Our commitment to diversity and accessibility remains as we continue to expand our reach, ensuring professionals from all backgrounds and regions can find impactful careers in sustainable food systems.
Growing Collaborations
Our partnerships remain key to our mission, and we are deeply grateful for the incredible support we’ve received from formal and informal advisors and mentors, incubation and acceleration programs, funders and grant-makers, and our strategic partners. These include non-profits, industry associations, investors, media companies, podcasts, and coaches. Rather than listing every contributor, we invite readers to explore some of the incredible organizations and individuals who have supported us here.
These collaborations have been instrumental in helping us:
Offer our services to more candidates & companies within the movement.
Refine our platform and strategy with insights from experienced advisors.
Connect candidates with valuable resources and expertise, complementing rather than duplicating the efforts of industry stakeholders. We would like to give special recognition to Alt_Collective and Blue Horizon, which have closed their businesses.
Finally, we are particularly thankful for the trust and appreciation of the candidates and clients who choose to work with us. Looking forward, we are excited to cultivate new partnerships and collaborations currently in the pipeline, as we continue to engage with changemakers across the Alternative Protein space.
Technology and Platform Enhancements
Driven by user feedback and data, we will continue to enhance the technology behind our platform, ensuring it remains the most advanced solution for matching talent with transformative roles in the food tech and alternative proteins space.
Impact Measurement
In addition to expanding our services, we are committed to refining how we measure and communicate the impact of the work we do. Our focus is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the real-world effects of our platform on both candidates and employers. This includes refining how we track success metrics such as job placements, hiring times, and career advancements.
Join Us in Shaping the Future of Food
In 2025, Tälist will build on past success while launching more exciting innovations. Stay connected to discover how Tälist will continue to revolutionize hiring in the Alt. Protein and Food Tech sectors.
Partner With Us
Collaborate with Tälist to shape the future of food through innovative and sustainable solutions. Together, we can drive transformative change in the food industry.
Spread the Word
If you know an employer or candidate who could benefit from our services, encourage them to reach out to Tälist at info@talist.org.