EIT Food Accelerator Network awards €600,000 to 18 agrifoodtech startups
The EIT Food Accelerator Network has announced €600,000 in tech validation funding for 18 startups developing innovations across the agrifood sector. The funding was revealed at the Next Bite event in Brussels on 15-16 October 2025.
The programme, supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), allocated the funding in three tiers: six companies received €50,000 each, six received €30,000, and six received €20,000. The funding is designed to help startups advance their technologies and improve their investment and market readiness.
Funding recipients
The €50,000 recipients are Agreenet, APOLO Biotech, Chonova, Ingrediome, LayerLogic, and Trilliome. Carbon Cell, Ferryx, HarvestR, Koppie, Silvibio, and TierraSphere each received €30,000. The €20,000 tier includes Agrisound, BioArmix, Biomyc, Elogium, Kyomei, and PoLoPo.
The 18 winners were selected from a cohort of 65 startups participating in the 2025 programme across six EIT Food Accelerator Network hubs.
Addressing the validation gap
The tech validation stage represents a critical phase where startups test their technologies in real-world conditions to verify market fit, scalability, and technical reliability. According to Eurostat data cited in the announcement, nearly half of European startups struggle to survive their first five years, with product-market fit and cash flow amongst the primary challenges.
“We are incredibly proud of this year’s cohort! Each startup has shown remarkable resilience, creativity, and determination, validating their technologies, refining their pitches, and shaping the future of food. With the support of our Hub leads, coaches, evaluators, Corporate Programme Partners, investors and jury members, these innovators are now one step
closer to transforming the agrifood system,” says Yulia Bodnar, EIT Food Accelerator Network programme manager.
Programme support
The 2-3 month theme-based programme provides participants with access to expert mentorship, leading European research centres and pilot plants, and exposure to 24 corporate programme partners. The funding allows startups to close technology gaps, build clear growth roadmaps, and strengthen investor confidence.
Since launch, the EIT Food Accelerator Network has supported over 400 startups in refining their strategies, validating technologies, and attracting investment. The programme aims to bridge the gap between innovation development, market needs, and investment opportunities in the agrifoodtech sector.
The tech validation funding helps address the barriers that prevent many early-stage companies from progressing beyond the concept phase, enabling them to secure pilot projects and prepare for commercial scaling.
For more information, visit: https://shorturl.at/xWr4D
