EIT Food has announced the winners of its 2025 Tech Validation Funding, providing a total of €600,000 to 18 innovative AgriFoodTech startups across Europe. The funding, awarded at the Next Bite 2025 event in Brussels, is designed to accelerate the progress of these startups by helping them validate their technologies and prepare for scaling and market adoption.
“Each startup has shown remarkable resilience, creativity, and determination”
The Next Bite event, one of Europe’s leading platforms for emerging food technologies, brought together startups, investors, researchers, and industry leaders to highlight the latest trends in AgriFoodTech innovation. As part of the event, EIT Food recognized the entrepreneurial spirit and potential of startups pushing the boundaries of food systems.
Funding allocations and winners
The recipients of this year’s Tech Validation Funding were selected from across six EIT Food Accelerator Network hubs. Each startup was awarded one of three funding tiers based on its stage of development and technological potential.
- €50,000 awards went to six startups: Agreenet, APOLO Biotech, Chonova, Ingrediome, LayerLogic, and Trilliome.
- €30,000 awards were granted to Carbon Cell, Ferryx, HarvestR, Koppie, Silvibio, and TierraSphere.
- €20,000 awards were given to Agrisound, BioArmix, Biomyc, Elogium, Kyomei, and PoLoPo.
In addition to financial support, the winning companies will gain access to extensive resources, including expert mentorship, leading research facilities, and connections with EIT Food’s 24 corporate partners. These offerings are intended to help the startups refine their products and achieve faster market readiness.
Supporting market-ready innovations
The Tech Validation Funding plays a key role in bridging the gap between early-stage development and market launch. For startups in the AgriFoodTech space, this phase of validation is essential to test their technologies in real-world conditions, assess scalability, and secure necessary investments.
“Each startup has shown remarkable resilience, creativity, and determination. 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 systems,” said Yulia Bodnar, Programme Manager of the EIT Food Accelerator Network.
For many early-stage companies, the path from concept to commercialization is fraught with challenges. According to Eurostat, almost half of European startups fail to survive their first five years, often due to difficulties in securing product-market fit and managing cash flow. The Tech Validation stage, however, helps to overcome many of these hurdles by providing startups with the funding and expertise they need to test and refine their solutions.
Investing in the future of food
The EIT Food Accelerator Network has been instrumental in helping more than 400 startups over the years, assisting them in validating their technologies, securing investment, and scaling their businesses. The program’s impact is felt not only in the startups themselves but also in the wider European food ecosystem, where it contributes to a healthier, more sustainable, and resilient food system.
Bodnar continued, “We are incredibly proud of this year’s cohort. These startups are now well-positioned to make an impact in the agrifood sector, and with our support, they are poised to shape the future of food.”
