- The Entrepreneurship Programmes are designed to launch, accelerate and scale impactful agrifood tech startups to solve global food system challenges
- Three programmes offer support to entrepreneurs at all stages of their journey, from market potential to commercial upscaling
EIT Food has announced the launch of its 2023 Entrepreneurship Programmes, with applications now being taken across three programmes that cater for all stages of business growth. EIT Food is supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union.
The EIT Food Entrepreneurship Programmes are designed to launch, accelerate and scale impactful agrifood tech startups to solve global food system challenges and deliver new food innovations and businesses worldwide. From tackling food waste to advancing developments in protein diversification, supporting the next generation of agrifood startups helps to deliver real-life value for European citizens, and drive progress towards a fairer, more sustainable food system for all. The programmes are now open to new entries from entrepreneurs across Europe.
The programmes offer the chance for entrepreneurs at all stages of their journey to benefit from the support of the world’s largest agrifood innovation community, alongside training programmes, industry events and world-class networking. Startups that are successful in their application could receive funding of up to €500,000 from EIT Food, as well as leveraging external funding from EIT Food’s investor community.
Selected startups will also benefit from sector-leading training, personalised mentoring, high-impact pilot projects and access to the world’s largest food innovation network, as well as exposure, resources and tools needed to grow and succeed.
EIT Food Entrepreneurship runs three programmes that cater for all stages of business growth: from market potential (EIT Food Seedbed Incubator); business acceleration and market tech validation (EIT Food Accelerator Network); to commercial capabilities upscaling (EIT Food RisingFoodStars).
LAUNCH: EIT Food Seedbed Incubator Programme
For researchers and aspiring entrepreneurs looking for market and business validation for commercial potential.
ACCELERATE: EIT Food Accelerator Network Programme (EIT FAN)
For registered (pre-) seed startups with traction indicators looking for tech validation and business acceleration to drive the ultimate goal: a successful market adoption.
SCALE: EIT Food RisingFoodStars Association
For aspiring scaleups looking to successfully upscale their commercial capabilities for rapid growth.
Applications are now open and will close on 26th March 2023. All applications will then be evaluated in April 2023, with the selected candidates announced by May 2023. For further details on how to apply, please see the EIT Food website at https://entrepreneurship.eitfood.eu.
“To help build a future-fit food system that produces healthy and sustainable food for all, we need to create connections right across the food ecosystem, empowering entrepreneurs to develop new ideas and innovations.
The Entrepreneurship Programmes offer European entrepreneurs unparalleled support and networking, helping to bring about true innovation in the agrifood sector. Thanks to our unique European powerhouse of corporate partners, research institutes, decision makers, experts and investor networks, EIT Food is able to connect startups with the right resources at the right time.”
The launch of the 2023 Entrepreneurship Programmes follows a strong track record of EIT Food supporting startups to achieve their full potential. In 2022, EIT Food received over 600 applications from 30+ countries, and supported more than 120 startups that attracted €407 million of public and private investment.
For EIT Food enquiries please contact communication@eitfood.eu.
About EIT Food
EIT Food is the world’s largest and most dynamic food innovation community. We accelerate innovation to build a future-fit food system that produces healthy and sustainable food for all.
Supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union, we invest in projects, organisations and individuals that share our goals and vision for a healthy and sustainable food system. We unlock innovation potential in businesses and universities and create and scale agrifood startups to bring new technologies and products to market. We equip entrepreneurs and professionals with the skills needed to transform the food system and put consumers at the heart of our work, helping build trust by reconnecting them to the origins of their food.
We are one of nine innovation communities established by the European Institute for Innovation & Technology (EIT), an independent EU body set up in 2008 to drive innovation and entrepreneurship across Europe.
Find out more at www.eitfood.eu or follow us via social media: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram.