EIT Food Seedbed Incubator Selects 50 Ambitious Ideas to Transform Food Accessibility and Quality in Europe
With over €33M raised by alumni, the programme supports early-stage teams developing science-driven solutions to transform breakthrough food concepts into real-world impact – addressing critical challenges in alternative proteins, sustainable agriculture, and food and beverage technology to build a fairer, more resilient food system.
Leuven, June 2, 2025 – EIT Food Seedbed Incubator, Europe’s flagship early-stage food innovation programme co-funded by the European Union, today welcomes its 2025 cohort of researchers and entrepreneurs. These teams are working to address some of the sector’s most urgent challenges: food affordability and accessibility — with 9.5% of the EU population unable to afford a meal containing meat, fish, or a vegetarian equivalent every other day — alongside the slow acceptance of novel foods and the low adoption of agri-tech by farmers. While 90% of European farmers have expressed interest in using advanced technologies, only 30% actually do — largely due to high costs, lack of tailored solutions, and fragmented support systems. These challenges demand early-stage innovations that can build new systems for food development, distribution, and consumer trust.
The programme helps early-stage science and technology entrepreneurs validate their ideas and transform them into commercially viable ventures. Combining market discovery, expert business coaching, and access to equity-free funding, the programme enables participants to test real-world demand, refine their technology roadmaps, and prepare for launch. Supported by strategic partners such as Queen’s University Belfast, Aarhus University, Shakeup Factory, University of Warsaw, DIL, Swiss Food Research, Food 4 Sustainability, BGI, and CLC South, the programme fills a critical gap in Europe’s innovation ecosystem by turning IP-backed concepts into impact-driven solutions.
In 2023, nearly 40% of Europeans reported skipping meals due to food costs, and 53% expressed concern about future food shortages. These numbers reflect how urgently we need practical, scalable solutions. EIT Food Seedbed Incubator focuses on innovation at the earliest stage. By helping researchers and entrepreneurs test their ideas, connect with experts, and validate demand, we enable solutions that improve how food is produced, accessed, and trusted.
Since its launch, the initiative has supported 200+ teams, led to creation of 35+ new startups, and helped attract over €33M in public and private funding. Among recent alumni achievements, Useeble progressed from concept to a pilot-ready model and secured over €300,000 to run pilots across Europe, while MicroLub university spin-out validated their scientific approach and went on to raise £3.5M for their Plant-Based-Food mouth feel enhancement revolutionary technology. This year, the programme welcomes 50 science-based teams exploring innovations in fields such as aquaculture, biotechnology, alternative proteins, sustainable agriculture, cellular biomanufacturing, waste management, and food and beverage technology.
Below is a spotlight on 10 of the 50 most promising teams selected for this year’s programme:
- Hulk Bio – UK-based cellular biomanufacturing startup developing human-identical milk bioactives for next-generation gut health and nutrition. Their ingredients offer more biologically appropriate, sustainable, and functional solutions for infant and maternal health.
- MBP BioTech, Centre for Biotechnology and Fine Chemistry (CBQF) – Portugal-based academic spinout transforming underused aquatic biomass into high-value bioactive ingredients. Their solutions serve the growing demand for sustainable, multifunctional inputs in the food, nutraceutical, and cosmetics sectors.
- V.G. Freyia Labs Ltd – Cyprus-based startup digitising fermentation through AI-powered analytics to optimise quality, consistency, and cost. Their platform enables producers to scale efficiently without the need for in-house data expertise.
- FourtyFour – Switzerland-based climate tech company building Direct Air Capture systems to supply greenhouses with fossil-free CO₂. Their innovation helps boost crop yields while enabling more sustainable and self-sufficient horticulture.
- Grouse Fibre – UK-based materials startup developing protein-based, peat-free growing media for professional horticulture. Their solution supports the industry’s transition away from peat while maintaining high crop performance.
- Sweetprot, University of Oulu – Finland-based team developing sugar-reduction ingredients for food and beverage applications. Their science-driven approach helps brands meet consumer demand for healthier products.
- ChainReactor – Portugal-based biomanufacturing startup creating AI-optimised, 3D-printed bioreactors for faster and more affordable production. Their technology helps unlock scalable capacity for bio-based product developers.
- Eye Q fresh, South East Technological University – Ireland-based academic team building a digital freshness tracker to reduce food waste. Their app enables more accurate decision-making along the supply chain.
- Pathfinder, Dublin City University – Ireland-based team developing a portable testing system to streamline regulated food analysis. Their tool improves efficiency and accessibility for labs, producers, and regulators.
- BrewAI – UK-based startup from ARU University enabling SMEs to track and reduce their energy use and carbon footprint in real time. Their platform offers actionable insights for sustainability improvements across food production.
For more information about the 2025 cohort and EIT Food Seedbed Incubator, please visit https://eitfoodentrepreneurship.turtl.co/story/seedbed-cohort-2025/page/1