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LAUNCH - Seedbed Incubator

Do you have a novel technology-based innovation that could be applied to solve global food system challenges?

Join the EIT Food Seedbed Incubator programme to explore market opportunities and become an exclusive member of the EIT Food community

About the EIT Food Seedbed Incubator programme

The Seedbed Incubator is a 6 month equity-free programme, which identifies and validates the commercial potential of Europe’s most promising IP-backed innovations, to launch sustainable and scalable Agrifood Tech ventures across Europe.


Why join the programme?

Gain lifetime access to the world’s largest and most dynamic food innovation community

  1. Connect and test your innovation with 100+ industry-leading corporates, research partners, and agrifood specialists to validate your innovation

  2. Receive 10,000 €* in equity-free funding for travel to networking events across Europe, and receive exclusive invitations to EIT Food and Partner events (*subject to Ts&Cs).

  3. Establish where there’s a viable market need for your innovation and evaluate the scale of its commercial potential

  4. Attend entrepreneurial training, and receive 1:1 coaching with Business Experts

  5. Collaborate and share knowledge with an AgriFood Tech startup community


Seedbed Incubator Alumni have access to exclusive, ongoing networking events tailored to early-stage, deep-tech ventures

Shortlisted high-potential technologies are further supported by EIT Food to launch and build new ventures based on a validated market need

Seedbed

Register your interest

The EIT Food Seedbed Incubator is for aspiring entrepreneurs and technology developers (professional & academic), who are looking to validate whether there is a market need for their innovation

Take a look at some of the innovation areas we are looking for here

Are you eligible?

The Seedbed Incubator is for aspiring entrepreneurs and researchers, who are driven to solve the complex challenges facing our food system.

  1. Do you have a scalable technology (at lab proof of concept - TRL 4 min) that can help transform the food system?

  2. Are you an individual, or a team either not yet founded, or a pre-seed startup?

  3. Are you or a team member an EU resident or citizen with - or intending to incorporate - a company in the EU, or a Horizon Europe-associated country? Please refer to the terms and conditions to view the list of eligible countries.

  4. Can you commit to a minimum of 8 hours per week between May and Dec to participate in this programme?

EIT Food Seedbed Incubator Application Walkthrough

Here is a recorded webinar, which provides a detailed guide through the EIT Food Seedbed Incubator application process and some helpful tips on the type of answers we are seeking.

Programme timeline

  1. NOVEMBER - FEBRUARY

    Call for Applications

  2. MARCH

    Evaluation of Applications

  3. APRIL

    Seedbed Stage I Team Announcements

  4. MAY

    70 successful teams participate in Lean Startup Fundamentals, a 3-day online Bootcamp, where teams are divided into groups and receive startup training and 1:1 business coaching to develop a business model canvas and an action plan. At the end of Bootcamp, the teams pitch to an expert panel, and up to 60 teams deemed with the most impactful commercial potential are selected as the final cohort to proceed to Seedbed Stage II

  5. JUNE

    The new Seedbed cohort, along with our team of Business Coaches, Industry Experts, Startup Trainers, and Programme Managers meet in Bilbao to kick off the Seedbed Incubator programme

  6. JULY - OCTOBER

    An entrepreneurial training schedule is offered in the way of 1:1 clinics and group workshops. All teams work with Business Coaches and Experts to further develop their business model canvas and action plans. Our Community Managers offer support with connections to customers and stakeholders, and networking opportunities at industry events

  7. NOVEMBER

    Everyone meets again in Lisbon for the Seedbed Showcase, where the cohort presents their findings, and pitches to an expert panel, who select the teams to continue on to Seedbed+. Each successful Seedbed+ team will receive additional funding to support the launch of a new venture based on outcomes of the Seedbed programme. Seedplus+ financing and terms and conditions will be shared with those who enter Seedbed Stage II.

  8. DECEMBER

    The Seedbed programme closes with a community event to celebrate learnings and successes.

Our Startups

  • “Thanks to Seedbed we made some really good connections and we managed to close a deal with our first pilot customer, which has led to requests from other potential customers.”

    - Ant Robotics, Germany
  • “Thanks to all the training and events, over 500 people tested our products and we received two letters of intention to produce and distribute our products, plus interest from three global clients!”

    - Carlos Uloa, Co-Founder, Seavolution, Spain
  • “Seedbed offered us the ability to meet other agtech startups. It was a fantastic opportunity to talk about our project with many people outside of our local market.“

    - Karolina Szczepanek, Co-Founder, Nangatech, Poland
  • “As a result of our interviews, we pivoted in both market and technical concepts. We talked to very big corporates like John Deere, Bayer, Unilever, and PepsiCo to discuss their problems and receive feedback on our products.“

    - Konstantinos Kandylas, Co-Founder, Terra Robotics, Greece
  • “We met a lot of potential customers and investors. All the conversations we had challenged us to think about our business in a different way and to recognise opportunities we did not see before.“

    - Chiara Guidi, Founder, B COS, Belguim
  • “Our business strategy radically changed! We learned industry insights which shifted us from being a team with one product concept to becoming a focused business with a full range of possibilities.“ 

    - David Ofner, CEO & Co-Founder, Evanium, Germany

Register your interest for the 2025 Seedbed Incubator Cohort

Let's reshape the future of our food system! If you are an aspiring entrepreneur or a technology developer interested in joining the Seedbed Incubator, register your interest in the programme for 2025!

Applications for the 2025 Seedbed Incubator Cohort will open in November 2024.

Your passion, innovative technologies, and commitment together with our guided market discovery journey and network of stakeholders can be the catalysts for change

FAQs

Where does the programme take place?

What is the time commitment to participate in this programme?

How are applications assessed?

Are there any areas within AgriTech and FoodTech that Seedbed is specifically interested in?

What are the conditions of the funding?

What makes Seedbed unique compared to other incubator programmes?

How do you support Alumni?

Any questions? Contact our Seedbed Incubator Programme Lead

Lukxmi
Lukxmi Balathasan

EIT Food Seedbed Incubator Programme Lead