EIT Food meets with 11 agrifood journalists in Madrid to strengthen communication on food innovation
The meeting offered a space for dialogue with key journalists and showcased EIT Food’s most impactful initiatives in Southern Europe
On 11 June 2025, EIT Food held an exclusive media encounter in Madrid with 11 journalists specialising in agrifood, sustainability and innovation. The meeting aimed to foster stronger relationships between EIT Food and key media representatives, while creating an open space for dialogue on the current challenges and opportunities facing the European food system.
The event took place at Impact Hub Madrid - Barceló, a collaborative venue in the city center known for hosting innovation-focused gatherings. Journalists from trade media outlets attended, representing sectors such as food technology, agriculture, nutrition and environment.
The meeting highlighted the work of EIT Food across Europe, with a particular focus on the South innovation region. Attendees were introduced to a diverse range of impactful initiatives, including:
- Entrepreneurship and innovation programmes, such as Team Up, EWA (Empowering Women in Agrifood), Seedbed, Agrifood Investment Launchpad, Test Farms, the Food Accelerator Network (FAN), Straight2Market, RisingFoodStars, SalesBooster and Supernovas.
- Healthy Ageing, through the EIT Food Healthy Ageing Think & Do Tank, which brings together more than 45 experts working on solutions to support an ageing population.
- Educational initiatives such los Salvacomidas, in which EIT Food engages young people on the importance of reducing food waste and promoting sustainability.
- Regenerative agriculture, a flagship regional initiative involving large corporates like Danone, Alpro and Cargill, in close collaboration with farmers to promote sustainable farming practices.
- Generational renewal, addressing one of the sector’s most pressing challenges: ensuring the next generation of farmers is empowered to lead.
- Open Innovation, promoting co-creation between startups and corporates to scale groundbreaking ideas.
- The EIT Food Journalism Awards, now celebrating their 6th edition in Spain, recognising excellence in food-related reporting.
The session also offered an overview of the evolution and growing impact of the South innovation hub since its launch in 2018. EIT Food highlighted the region’s role in launching strategic collaborations with industry leaders, academic institutions, research centres and technology hubs.
"We believe that collaboration with the media is key to raising awareness and fostering informed debate around agrifood innovation," said Begoña Peréz-Villareal, Director at EIT Food South.
The meeting concluded with a Q&A session, where journalists asked about key topics such as targeted investment in Spain and how large corporations and farmers collaborate on projects like Navarra 360. Interest was also shown in upcoming events, including the Next Bite: Founders Day taking place on 19 June at Torre Iberdrola in Bilbao, where EIT Food will bring together key stakeholders to celebrate entrepreneurship and innovation in the agrifood sector.
The event was a valuable opportunity to deepen relationships with national media, increase visibility for EIT Food's regional initiatives, and reflect on the tangible impact being generated across its various areas of work.
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