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COVID-19 Rapid Response Innovation
COVID-19 Rapid Response Innovation

COVID-19 Rapid Response Innovation

As a part of EIT's Crisis Response, this initiative will fund high-impact innovative activities executed until 31 December 2020. 

As part of the EIT’s Crisis Response Initiative, this activity directly contributes to the European Union’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

At EIT Food, we believe that we are all responsible for, and connected to, the food that we eat so we all need to work together to improve it. Our role is to bring all players together, and guide and accelerate the innovation process that will transform the food system. The COVID-19 crisis has placed unprecedented pressure on the global food system, calling for innovative thinking and ways of partnering to face the immediate challenges of the pandemic as well as the future recovery.

The EIT Food COVID-19 Rapid Response innovation projects deliver:

  • Rapid impact: this initiative will fund activities executed until 31 December 2020. As such, the innovative solution (product, service, startup created) must be ready for launch by the end of 2020, and be on the market by end Q2 2021 at the latest.
  • Significant impact: applicants must demonstrate how the initiative will deliver both economic and societal impact, specifically addressing the COVID-19 crisis or possible future similar Pandemics.

Following our recent announcement, we have awarded 12 innovation projects close to EUR 6 million in total. The selected projects focus on supporting three food system challenges EIT Food is currently tackling.

Improved Nutrition

Supply Chain Disruption

Food Safety Risks

Current projects

Robin Food: Covid-19 Response to Food Waste

Robin Food: Covid-19 Response to Food Waste

Robin Food transforms surplus vegetables into soups for social grocery stores and food aid. The vegetables are sourced from regional producers and REO-auction who faced difficulties selling their products during the corona crisis. 

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Safelivery

Safelivery

Safelivery will develop innovative food delivery services and protocols to reduce the risk of surface and packaging contamination of “Ready To Eat Foods” with the COVID-19 virus and other agents.

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Smart-ET

Smart-ET

Smart-ET will use COVID-19 data from farms to predict variations in dairy production and market feed costs, helping to reorganise dairy production and supply during pandemic events or similar market shocks.

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Foresight on the impact of COVID-19

Foresight on the impact of COVID-19

Future-proof or future ready? Learn how COVID-19 will transform the agrifood sector in Central, Eastern and South Europe!

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MeDiCo-Health

MeDiCo-Health

This project will conduct research at hospitals in Italy and Germany into whether deficiencies in micronutrients such as zinc, selenium and vitamin D have a correlation with the severity of disease in COVID-19 patients

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COVICOAT

COVICOAT

COVICOAT aims to develop an edible antiviral coating for fresh fruits and vegetables and assess its performance in a real scenario.

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PASS

PASS

PASS will design plasma-assisted sanitation systems for packaging, equipment and tools used in the processing and handling of food products as a barrier to viruses and bacteria.

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FRIENDS Reduce Food Waste

FRIENDS Reduce Food Waste

This project will implement dynamic pricing technology to reduce food waste by up to 40%, ensure a smoother supply chain of perishable goods and bring fairer prices to customers.

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SPIN

SPIN

This project is developing a nutritional supplement to support the immune system in the fight against infection by SARS-CoV-2.

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Mtching COVID

Mtching COVID

Mtching COVID will launch a platform connecting recovering COVID-19 patients with dietitians and health coaches to motivate them, follow-up and provide inspiring recipes.

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COVID19 BEAMitup

COVID19 BEAMitup

COVID-19 BEAMitup will develop a diagnostic tool to improve on-site testing capacities of surfaces for the food industries to detect contamination or absence thereof, contributing to the security and resilience of the European agrifood system.

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CovidX

CovidX

CovidX aspires to investigate whether a food supplement based on a novel Spirulina-extract can strengthen the immune system and help reduce infection risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The supplement will not be a replacement for SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations.

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Healthtricous

Healthtricous

Healthricous will introduce a digital solution that makes shopping, cooking and keeping track of the daily food intake easy and accessible. 

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Robin Food

Robin Food

Robin Food includes vulnerable groups in the revalorisation of extra leftovers in the food chain.

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Our other COVID-19 programmes

COVID-19 Bridge Fund

COVID-19 Bridge Fund

The COVID-19 Bridge Fund supports European agrifood startups that have been affected by coronavirus, as part of the EIT Crisis Response Initiative.

Learn more