Industrial GFVP Studentships
Co-funding opportunity for companies
The Global Food Venture Programme (GFVP) Industrial Scheme supports industry-led doctoral studentships gaining privileged access to top talent and actively shaping the future skills of the AgriFood sector.
The GFVP Industrial Scheme aims to build a new model for academia-industry collaboration in agri-food. Addressing urgent challenges in food security, sustainability, and health, the programme will train a new generation of researchers who can navigate both scientific excellence and market-driven innovation. Fellows will undertake interdisciplinary research projects co-developed with academic institutions and industrial partners, ensuring relevance, impact, and transferability of results.
Structured mobility, innovation training, and real-world problem-solving will underpin the experience, creating a dynamic environment where knowledge flows in both directions. Feeding Innovation will not only foster talent but also strengthen Europe’s capacity to translate biotech breakthroughs into tangible solutions for the agri-food sector - supporting the twin transitions of green and digital transformation while embedding responsible innovation at its core.
Industry partners can participate as strategic co-funders, contributing to the development of a new generation of researchers equipped with entrepreneurial, scientific, and innovation capabilities.
What EIT Food offers to partner companies
- Access Europe’s brightest biotech minds and Universities: Engage early with a diverse pool of PhD candidates selected through a highly competitive international process.
- Invest in future-ready skills: Help train doctoral researchers in the key areas your business will rely on tomorrow: innovation, sustainability, AI in biotech, regulatory science and more.
- Shape the training program: Co-create parts of the PhD framework in collaboration with leading universities and EIT Food, aligning it with real industry needs.
- Visibility and reputation: Be recognized as a committed partner to innovation, sustainability and European research excellence.
- Talent pipelines and secondments: Host PhD students for short-term secondments or long-term collaboration. Explore recruitment opportunities early on.
- Leverage EIT Food’s ecosystem: Connect with a broad network of academic institutions, startups, and public actors across Europe’s agrifood innovation ecosystem.
What we are looking for
- A financial contribution of €50,000 for the 3-years program, supporting part of the fellow’s training and salary costs.
- Potential hosting or mentoring of researchers through secondments or specific training modules.
- Strategic input in shaping training content, innovation challenges, and career development topics.
- Optional participation in networking events, hackathons, or innovation bootcamps with PhD fellows.
EIT Food will manage the program centrally, including recruitment, coordination, and entrepreneurship training through the Global Food Venture Program - a 3-year curriculum combining innovation training, expert mentoring, and venture creation support.
Join us in building the future of food biotechnology
This is a unique opportunity to invest in high-potential biotech talent while aligning your company with Europe’s research and innovation leadership.
Interested?
If your organisation is ready to support the development of the next generation of food system innovators, please fill out your expression of interest in the link below by the 26th of May.
Project lead
Related Projects
