EIT Food Offers Up to €2.5 Million to Startups Developing Food and Agrifood Innovations
Startups, companies, researchers, students, entrepreneurs, and organizations from Serbia can apply for several open calls launched by EIT Food, Europe’s leading food innovation initiative supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union. Through these programs, up to €2.5 million is available for the development of innovative solutions in the food and agriculture sectors, with additional calls expected to open throughout the coming year. The announcement was made by NALED, EIT Food’s contact point in Serbia, which provides support to applicants in selecting the most suitable program, preparing applications, and connecting with partners across Europe.
Until July 31, startups that already have a potential business partner and wish to test their solution through a pilot project before entering into a broader commercial collaboration or market launch can apply for the **Proof of Concept Co-Financing Instrument**, which offers up to €60,000 in funding per participant.
This autumn, the **Test Farms** program will also open, enabling later-stage startups to test their solutions directly on farms across Europe, with up to €4,000 available to cover testing costs.
“Agri-tech innovations account for only 4% of all innovations, which indicates significant room for growth. Our goal is to connect Serbian teams with the programs, partners, and financial support offered by EIT Food and help them transform their ideas into successful market solutions. As EIT Food Country Representative for Serbia, NALED is available to provide additional information, guidance in selecting the most suitable program, and support throughout the application process,” said Todo Terzić, Head of the Food and Agriculture Unit at NALED and EIT Food Country Representative for Serbia, during a workshop organized to present the available programs and calls.
The event also featured startups that have previously benefited from EIT programs and shared their experiences of growing their businesses through EIT Food support.
One such company is Atfield Technologies, which develops digital vineyard management solutions. Through the Bilbao Campus Experience program, the company expanded its operations to the Spanish market, while under the Test Farms initiative it tested its microclimate monitoring solution in real-life conditions with the support of local winegrowers and agronomists.
“EIT Food enabled us to test our solution in real-life conditions with winegrowers in Spain and present it to investors from across Europe. Professional promotion and networking opportunities at events such as NextBITE, a flagship gathering that brings together key stakeholders of Europe’s agricultural innovation ecosystem, increased our visibility and opened new business opportunities,” said Srđan Tadić of Atfield Technologies.
Support was also provided to the team behind Climate Smart Solutions, a company that emerged from scientific research. Participation in the EIT Jumpstarter program helped them transform a scientific idea into a market-ready product.
“During the seven-month Jumpstarter program, we received training and mentoring support focused on business model development. We learned how to clearly communicate the value of our solution to investors, which was particularly important for a team coming from a scientific background,” said Vladimir Kočić of Climate Smart Solutions.
The next EIT Jumpstarter call is expected to open in March 2027, while the next cycle of the EIT Food Accelerator Network is scheduled to begin in February 2027. In addition, through partnerships with leading European universities, EIT Food offers students the opportunity to gain international education in the fields of food and agriculture through specialized master’s programs.
In addition to European initiatives such as EIT Food, innovation teams in Serbia can also rely on support from the local innovation ecosystem through programs designed for startups in the earliest stages of development. Anđela Terzić, Assistant Director for Innovation Entrepreneurship Development and Support at the Belgrade Science Technology Park, spoke about the challenges founders most often face at this stage and presented the Raising Starts program, designed for teams in the idea and early development phases.
For more information about current and upcoming EIT Food calls, as well as support in selecting the most suitable program, preparing applications, and connecting with partners from Serbia and across Europe, interested applicants can contact NALED, EIT Food’s contact point in Serbia. The contact person is Todo Terzić, Head of the Food and Agriculture Unit at NALED ([t.terzic@naled.rs](mailto:t.terzic@naled.rs)).
