Former Food Innovator Returns to the Great Chicago Food Bash

Before he was mentoring founders at the Lewis Innovation Hub, Jay Savsani was building a company that reimagined how people connect through food.

As the founder of Meal Sharing, Jay created a global platform that brought travelers and locals together over home-cooked meals, turning food into a shared experience and a catalyst for cultural connection. What started as a simple idea grew into a global venture and led to a successful exit in 2020.

This year, Jay returned to the Great Chicago Food Bash not as a founder pitching, but as a builder observing what’s next.

Walking the floor, he experienced firsthand the kind of food innovation shaping today’s market; from Disco Cow’s whipped, high-protein cottage cheese to Five Corners Beverage’s craft nonalcoholic drinks, featuring bold flavors like salted lemonade and pickleback. He also enjoyed seeing local innovation in action with Ms. P’s Granola, a Will County-based brand creating gluten-free, better-for-you products that reflect the growing demand for healthier, thoughtfully made food.

It’s that same curiosity and builder mindset that now defines his role as Entrepreneur-in-Residence.

Today, Jay works closely with students and founders at the Innovation Hub, helping them move from idea to execution bringing a perspective shaped by real experience at the intersection of food, technology, and entrepreneurship.

Because at the Innovation Hub, we’re not just exploring ideas we’re building what’s next.