The beneficiaries will gain expert support (training and mentoring) and financial support (reimbursement of travel costs for project bootcamps, meetings with mentors and potential customers, up to 10,000€, and the best start-ups will also receive cash prizes awarded by EIT Food). The unique element of the program is support for the verification of feasibility of the business idea and technical solutions by means of a structured dialogue with potential customers (customer discovery process), implemented based on methodology developed by EIT Food, in co-operation with specialist trainers and mentors, facilitated by the financial support offered to start-ups.

The program is run in English language in five European hubs: in Poland, Northern Ireland, Germany, Spain and Denmark.

Application deadline is March the 15th, 2020 and we strongly encourage early submissions. Applicants should present an innovative idea, which has the potential to make a big impact on any part of the food sector including the way we produce, deliver, consume and recycle our food. Apart from typical agri-food solutions, start-ups may also operate in fields related to the food system, including: machines and equipment for agriculture and food manufacturing, logistics, packaging, ICT solutions, food waste reduction, business services or social innovations. The program addresses idea holders and early-stage startups, so we particularly encourage applications from students and scientists, whose business idea is connected with their technological research, and its further development requires specialist business skills and contacts with potential customers in various European countries.

More information: https://www.eitfood.eu/entrepreneurship/projects/Seedbed