Revolutionising Agri-Compliance with EIT Community Support
In Ukraine, a small team is rethinking how farmers handle food safety compliance, turning a paper-heavy challenge into a one-click solution. Born amid the disruptions of war, GAPPO is empowering small and medium-sized agricultural producers to meet international food safety standards through a simple, affordable, and user-friendly digital tool.
Thanks to the support of EIT Community initiatives, GAPPO is transforming an everyday challenge into an innovation story rooted in resilience and purpose.
Solving a Real-World Problem
The idea for GAPPO came directly from experience. Co-founder Vasyl Kundryk once worked for a Ukrainian farming company seeking Global G.A.P. certification, a vital step for accessing EU markets.
“We realised that manually collecting and managing all the necessary compliance data was a nightmare. The existing tools were either too expensive, too complicated, or simply not fit for smaller producers”, recalls Vasyl.
So Vasyl and his co-founders decided to build something new: a digital platform designed for “a middle-aged farmer in a remote area, running a small family farm.” The goal, to make data collection, traceability, and reporting for certification as easy as a single click.
From Idea to MVP with EIT Jumpstarter
GAPPO’s journey accelerated in spring 2023, when the team joined the EIT Jumpstarter programme, a European Commission-funded initiative supporting early-stage innovators with mentorship, business training, and seed funding.
“At that time, they just wanted to test the idea and get feedback from experts. We didn’t have the whole picture, no clear target audience, no roadmap”, Vasyl explains.
Encouraged by the dedicated ‘Rebuild Ukraine’ track, the team took a leap. Winning the Jumpstarter competition gave them both recognition and resources. “The win gave us pride and stronger self-belief. It showed us our idea mattered,” Vasyl says.
Through Jumpstarter, GAPPO received €13,000 in funding and mentorship that helped them build their minimum viable product (MVP).
“Had we not participated in EIT Jumpstarter, we wouldn’t have an MVP today. That’s the truth.”
Market Validation and Building Resilience
In late spring 2024, GAPPO joined the EIT Food Seedbed Cohort 2024, seeking to validate its product on a European scale.
“After Jumpstarter, we realised we had skipped market validation. Seedbed helped us do our homework properly, to speak directly with people across Europe and understand their needs”
Working with business coach Alexander Mardian and mentor Marta Kutyna-Bakalarska, the team even presented GAPPO to Maspex, one of Europe’s largest food producers.
“That cooperation opened our eyes, our solution could also be relevant for large companies. Seedbed provided GAPPO with fresh market insights, new networks, and a European-wide perspective on scaling a digital compliance platform”, Vasyl notes.
Operating entirely from Ukraine, GAPPO highlights the importance of supporting innovators in Widening countries, where access to early-stage funding remains limited.
“We’re not building a rocket ship, and we’re fine with that,” Vasyl says. “We’re building something practical that works for people who need it now.”
GAPPO’s steady, grounded approach aligns closely with the EU Startup and Scale-up Strategy, fostering inclusive, real-world innovation across Europe.
How the EIT Community Made a Difference
Through its participation in the EIT Community programmes, GAPPO has achieved tangible results:
- Product Development: Funding through Jumpstarter and Seedbed made the MVP possible.
- Market Validation: Access to European stakeholders allowed the team to refine its value proposition.
- Confidence and Visibility: Recognition boosted team morale and credibility.
- Networking: Mentors and experts expanded the startup’s vision beyond national borders.
“EIT really made a difference for us,” Vasyl reflects. “It’s not just about funding, it’s the confidence, structure, and sense of belonging to a larger innovation community.”
Early Impact and Sharing the Knowledge
Today, GAPPO has conducted a soft launch in Ukraine, with several local companies testing the platform. Feedback from users, and even from a certified food safety auditor, has been encouraging.
Although the project is on partial pause due to the war, the team continues to maintain the platform and their network. “You can’t afford a long-term vision right now, tomorrow might change everything. But we continue because this product is needed,” says Vasyl.
Despite the difficult context, Vasyl now mentors young founders through the IdeasLab Programme at the Ideas Centre UCU, helping students turn their ideas into viable startups.
GAPPO also became a member of Techosystem, the Ukrainian IT business alliance, another opportunity opened through the EIT network. Now, they inspired others:
“EIT programmes gave us invaluable experience that we can now pass on to others. Persistence matters. One failure doesn’t mean it’s over, it’s just experience. Not every startup is an overnight success. You’re not alone in that feeling,”
About Gappo
GAPPO is a Ukrainian startup helping small and medium-sized agricultural producers comply with international food safety standards through an intuitive digital platform. The app automates data collection and reporting for certifications like Global G.A.P., making compliance simple, accessible, and affordable.