Grant for the Development of an Agri-Startup for Women Entrepreneurs

The grant initiative is implemented under EIT Food, Europe’s leading food innovation community supported by the European Union.

General overview:

• The programme focuses on fostering innovation in the food sector and supporting entrepreneurs.
• Activities include education, entrepreneurship, startup investment, and communication.
• Its core objective is to build a sustainable and innovative food system.

Strategic priorities:

• The programme aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
• Key thematic areas include:

• • resilient agriculture

  • protein diversification

  • biotechnology

EIT RIS component:

• Designed to expand participation from regions with lower innovation capacity.
• Provides targeted support to innovators not yet part of EIT Food.

EWA (Empowering Women in Agrifood) programme:

• Supports women entrepreneurs in the agrifood sector.
• Offers:

• • training

  • mentorship

  • networking opportunities

  • access to funding

• Aims to reduce the gender gap in the sector.

Programme structure:

• The programme follows a modular approach (EWA Explore, Grow, Advance).
• It supports participants at different stages of their entrepreneurial journey.

EWA Advance module:

• Targets more advanced women-led startups.
• Participants receive:

• • expert mentoring

  • investment readiness support

  • access to corporate partnerships

• Enhances commercial and investment readiness.

Participants and format:

• Up to 10 women entrepreneurs are selected.
• The programme is delivered in English.
• Projects must align with EIT Food priorities.

The programme is open to individual applicants who meet the specified criteria.

Applicant requirements:

• the applicant must identify as a woman;
• demonstrate interest and commitment to participate in programme activities;
• represent a legally registered entity in a Horizon Europe country;
• have developed an innovative agrifood product or solution;
• possess at least TRL level 4;
• have secured investment (private or public) and/or generated sales.

Application requirements:

• the application must be complete, including all mandatory documents (pitch deck required);
• fully written in English;
• submitted on time via the designated platform.

Eligibility notes:

• failure to meet any criterion results in ineligibility;
• participation is subject to EU policies and restrictions.

Applications will be deemed ineligible if the applicant:

• is bankrupt or under insolvency procedures;
• has violations related to tax or social contributions;
• has been found guilty of fraud, corruption, or professional misconduct;
• attempts to influence the evaluation process or obtain confidential information.

The programme provides financial support through sub-grants and additional prize funding.

Main financial support:

• Each selected participant may receive up to €1,200 to cover participation costs.
• Funding is intended for expenses directly related to programme activities (travel, accommodation, events, Demo Day, meetings with mentors and investors).

Conditions of funding:

• Costs must comply with Horizon Europe and EIT Food rules.
• Funding is provided as a lump sum.
• Payments depend on the completion of defined deliverables.
• If deliverables are not completed, funding may be reduced.

Payment schedule:

• First instalment — €600 (50%) after signing the agreement.
• Second instalment — after verification of completed activities (e.g. Masterclass participation).
• Payments are made to the participant’s personal bank account.

Additional opportunities (prizes):

• A pitching competition is held during Demo Day.
• Winners receive:

• • €20,000 (1st place)

  • €15,000 (2nd place)

• Funds must be used for business development (operations, marketing, production, etc.).

Prize conditions:

• Participants must report on fund usage within 6 months.
• They are expected to launch or improve a product or attract investment within 1 year.
• The use of funds may be subject to audit.

The programme focuses on supporting women-founded startups in the agrifood sector with strong growth potential.

Project types:

• innovative agrifood products or solutions;
• startups with demonstrated traction (sales or market validation);
• projects with a minimum TRL level of 4.

Supported activities include:

• participation in training, mentoring, and networking activities;
• one-on-one mentoring sessions;
• online and offline events, including:
  • trainings;
  • matchmaking sessions;
  • masterclasses;
  • Demo Day.

Key development areas:

• commercial readiness (go-to-market strategy, sales, pricing);
• investment readiness (fundraising preparation, pitching);
• corporate readiness (partnerships, compliance, risk management);
• business scaling (market expansion, operational growth).

Participation format:

• participants are expected to actively engage and complete programme requirements;
• this includes:
  • attending at least 80% of activities;
  • joining key events (matchmaking, masterclasses, Demo Day);
  • completing a startup growth plan;
  • submitting required documents and feedback.

Key dates:

• Call opening — 18 February 2026
• Application deadline — 26 April 2026 (23:59 CEST).

Selection and preparation stages:

• Evaluation period — 27 April – 29 May 2026.
• Communication of selected participants — 30 May – 5 June 2026.
• Agreement signing period — 10 June – 30 August 2026.

Programme implementation:

• Programme kick-off and matchmaking — 1–4 September 2026.
• Mentoring and training (masterclasses) — September to December 2026.
• Demo Day — December 2026.

Participation phases:

• Application phase — mid-February to mid-April 2026.
• Selection phase — May 2026.
• Onboarding — late May to mid-June 2026.
• Project duration — September to December 2026.

Interested candidates complete and submit the application form online at MyEITFood Portal platform at the appointed time. 

Evaluation Criteria (with weights)

Applications are assessed across 5 criteria, each weighted 20%:

1. Relevance — how clearly the solution addresses a defined agrifood problem.
2. Commercial and market impact — scalability, customer need, and contribution to sustainability, circularity, or digital transformation.
3. Innovation potential — level of novelty and differentiation from existing solutions.
4. Strategic alignment — consistency with EIT Food priorities (e.g. Protein Diversification, Resilient Agriculture, Biotechnology).
5. Programme impact — expected benefits from participation and use of programme support.

Additionally:

• +0.5 points fast-track for eligible EIT Food alumni.

Scoring System and Selection

• Each criterion is scored from 1 to 5:

  • 1 — poor

  • 2 — fair with significant weaknesses

  • 3 — good with shortcomings

  • 4 — very good

  • 5 — excellent

• Maximum score: 5.5 points.
• Quality threshold: 2.5 (weighted).
• Highest-scoring applications are selected.
• In the event of a tie, the decision is made based on criteria No. 2 (market) and No. 3 (innovation).

Additional Process Notes

• Evaluation is conducted by at least two external evaluators and one EIT Food representative.
• The process is remote and follows a standardized scoring methodology.
• Applications scoring between 2.5 and 4.0 may be invited to an online interview.

• Application form;
• Pitch deck.

Within the programme, continuous monitoring of activities is предусмотрено, and audits may be conducted.

• All funded activities are subject to ongoing monitoring by EIT Food
• Monitoring ensures progress tracking and proper implementation in line with agreed deliverables
• Payments are linked to the achievement of results

Reporting includes:

• regular reporting on actual costs incurred under the subgrant
• reporting on deliverables achieved
• submission of supporting documentation

Additionally:

• the monitoring process may lead to amendments to the activity plan and/or budget

Within the programme, formal agreements are established between participants and the organiser.

• Selected applicants will receive instructions for signing the Lump Sum Subgrant Agreement.
• This agreement is concluded between the mentee and EIT Food and defines the terms of financial support.

After completing a key programme stage:

• participants will receive further; instructions to sign the Prize Agreement
• this agreement governs the conditions for receiving prize funding.