About Organisation
EIT Food is Europe’s leading food innovation initiative, working to create a sustainable and future-proof food system that benefits consumers, businesses, and the environment. Supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), EIT Food operates through a strong consortium of industry leaders, research institutes, and universities across Europe. Its mission is to drive innovation and entrepreneurship in the agrifood sector by addressing pressing global challenges such as sustainability, health, and resilience. Through collaborative projects, EIT Food nurtures startups, funds R&D, and promotes consumer trust in food systems. With a focus on impactful solutions, it enables researchers, innovators, and entrepreneurs to accelerate groundbreaking ideas from lab to market. EIT Food emphasizes inclusivity, gender balance, and the integration of diverse expertise to shape food systems that are innovative, competitive, and environmentally responsible.
About the Grant
The EIT Food Biotech Innovation Call 2025 seeks to accelerate commercialization of high-potential innovations in the food biotechnology sector. The call emphasizes solutions addressing two challenges: developing sustainable downstream processing techniques that minimize water and energy consumption, and creating real-time monitoring and control technologies for biotechnological processes. Eligible projects can include new R&D activities, scale-up initiatives, or business models applying existing technologies in novel contexts. Selected projects may receive up to €400,000 in funding for a maximum duration of 10 months, beginning in February 2026. Applicants are expected to co-fund projects, covering at least 30% of costs, with up to 70% reimbursed by EIT Food. The funding is structured under a Revenue-Based Financing (RBF) model, where beneficiaries repay a negotiated share of future revenues, or alternatively, a SAFE note mechanism may be considered. Beyond financial support, the program offers advisory input, dissemination opportunities, and strategic guidance to ensure project success and market readiness.
Who can Apply?
Applicants must comply with EU and Horizon Europe eligibility rules and form consortia consisting of entities from eligible countries. Applications are open to businesses, research organizations, and startups engaged in food biotechnology innovation. Eligible proposals should demonstrate a clear commercial case, strong originality, and measurable impact potential. The project must show a feasible pathway to commercialization within 12 months, with market-ready innovations or follow-on development from existing research. Applicants must commit to covering a minimum of 30% of project costs. Consortia are encouraged to include diverse stakeholders to enhance implementation quality and impact. Projects must align with EIT Food’s broader missions of sustainability, consumer trust, and improved nutrition. Evaluation criteria include excellence, innovation potential, societal impact, implementation feasibility, and financial soundness. Commitment to gender equality and environmental sustainability will also strengthen applications.
How to Apply?
Applications must be submitted through the MyEITFood portal, accompanied by all required documents. Proposals will undergo a competitive evaluation based on excellence, impact, quality of implementation, and financial feasibility.
Application Deadline
The call is open until 17 November 2025. Proposals submitted after this date will not be considered.
Last Date To Apply
For more information, please visit the grant website here.
