We welcome applications from those who meet the following eligibility criteria: 

• Any resident, citizen or legal entity based in an EU Member State or associated countries;
• To be considered eligible for the Regional Innovation Scheme (RIS) competition, the applicant must be a citizen and/or resident of Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, Italy or Greece.

The proposed products or services must align with one or more of our strategic objectives: 

• Making the food system better for people’s health;
• Making the food system better for the environment;
• Making the food system more trusted and transparent.

Applications open 1 April – 12 May 2019 midnight CET via F6S website 

Evaluations 13 May – 24 May 2019. The finalists will be announced shortly afterwards.  

17 live finals will be held between June and September 2019 as follows: 

• General Innovation Prize Demo Days  
  • Stuttgart, Germany: 26 June 2019   
  • Aarhus, Denmark: 6 September 2019  
• Regional Innovation Scheme (RIS) Demo Days 
  • Croatia: 13th of June, Osijek
  • Czech Republic: 18/19th of June, Prague
  • Estonia: 26th of August, Tallin
  • Greece: 7-11 September, Thessaloniki
  • Hungary: 27th of June, Budapest
  • Italy: 19th of July, Bari
  • Latvia: 5th of September, Riga
  • Lithuania: 18th of June, Kaunas
  • Poland: 24th of June, Warsaw
  • Portugal: 17-18 July, Lisbon
  • Romania: 12th of September
  • Slovenia: 20th of June, Ljubljana
  • Slovakia: 17th of September,Nitra
  • Spain: 3rd October,Bilbao
  • Turkey: 18-19 September, Istanbul

Please refer to the competition Terms and Conditions for full details about the competition process and eligibility.

Q: What is RIS? 

A: RIS stands for Regional Innovation Scheme, which is a special funding scheme to support entrepreneurs and startups located in Eastern and Southern Europe. It is only available for residents and/or citizens of one of the following countries: Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, Italy, Greece. 

Q: I applied and became a finalist of the EIT Food RIS Innovation Grants/Entrepreneurship Prizes in 2018. Can I still apply for the Innovation Prizes? 

A: Yes, you can! However, winners of 2018 edition of EIT Food RIS Innovation Grants/Entrepreneurship Prizes will be considered ineligible, please read the complete eligibility criteria in the Terms and Conditions.

Q: When and where will the Demo Days happen? 

A: Demo Days dates and locations are listed above and will also be updated at www.f6s.com/innovationprizes 

Q: Do I have to take part in the Demo Day? 

A: Yes, you do. A minimum of one member of your team must participate in the Demo Day and accompanying training. However, the more, the merrier! 

Q: Which of the 17 live demo day locations should I apply for? 

A: Applicants based in RIS countries should apply for the scheme taking place in their country of residence. All other applicants can choose to participate in the demo day taking place in either Germany or Denmark. 

Q: What does the training that accompanies the Demo Day consist of? 

A: The training will be tailored to the needs of the startups participating. However, likely topics include pitch training, building strong relationships with investors, effective communication, funding sources and marketing. 

Q: What stage of idea/startups is this competition for? 

A: There is no exact formula for this. However, startups should note that this programme is aimed at early-stage entrepreneurs and startups. If you have raised large amounts of investment (i.e. more than €100,000) or have large revenue streams (i.e. more than €50,000), this Prize is probably not for you. In fact, one of the criteria that your application will be judged upon is whether the Innovation Prize will be ‘catalytic’ in your startup's success. If you wish to discuss the individual situation of your startup, please contact us.