Biochar foam to alt-coffee farms: 18 startups join EIT Food’s 2025 accelerator

EIT Food has announced 18 startups receiving a total of €600,000 through its 2025 Tech Validation Funding, supporting early-stage agrifood tech companies across Europe.

The funding was revealed at Next Bite, EIT Food’s flagship event in Brussels today. The initiative is part of the EIT Food Accelerator Network, backed by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT).

Each startup will receive between €20,000 and €50,000 to validate and scale their technologies. The companies were selected from six accelerator hubs across Europe.

“Each startup has shown remarkable resilience and determination in validating their technologies and refining their business models,” said Yulia Bodnar, programme manager at EIT Food Accelerator Network. “They are now one step closer to transforming the agrifood system.”

Here's the full list of winners and what what they do:

€50k winners:

Agreenet — Develops nature-inspired active biomaterials to protect fresh fruit & veg, extend shelf-life and cut food waste.

APOLO Biotech — RNA-based, GMO-free crop tech for productivity and pest control (plant RNA solutions to boost resilience).

Chonova (CHoNova AG) — Food-tech company commercialising novel ingredients / processes for chocolate and confectionery manufacturing (real-time process optimisation).

Ingrediome — Photosynthetic precision-fermentation to produce nature-identical animal muscle proteins for real meat and seafood alternatives.

LayerLogic — Rapid biosensing platform for fast, precise bacteria detection to speed up testing in food production and reduce waste.

Trilliome — Microbiome biotech translating gut-brain microbiome science into validated nutritional solutions for cognition and healthy ageing.

€30k winners:

Carbon Cell — Compostable, high-performance biochar-based foam that locks carbon and replaces plastic foams in packaging and insulation.

Ferryx — Next-generation, science-backed probiotics (human and veterinary) targeting chronic gut conditions where conventional probiotics fail.

HarvestR — Spray-induced gene suppression (SIGs) antifungal platform for non-toxic, specific post-harvest and field fungal control (non-GMO).

Koppie — Fermented-legume alt-coffee: a coffee alternative made from local pulses using fermentation and roasting to mimic coffee’s flavour.

SilviBio — Peat-free growing media and sustainable propagation mixes for growers, aiming to replace peat and reduce water use.

TierraSphere — Climate-tech agronomy using oxalogenic plants + AI MRV to deliver carbon removal, biodiversity and regenerative agriculture projects.

€20k winners:

Agrisound — Acoustic AI for precision pollination, habitat monitoring and crop health (smart listening tech to improve yields and biodiversity).

BioArmix — Uses naturally occurring predatory bacteria (encapsulated, room-stable powder) to fight bacterial plant pathogens as a non-GMO biocontrol.

Biomyc — Mycelium & sustainable materials design studio creating next-gen products and packaging from fungal composites.

Elogium — Probiotic feed additives for poultry (broilers) to improve weight gain, food safety and reduce pathogens in the supply chain.

Kyomei — Molecular-farming platform turning crop leaves (or crop waste) into food ingredients (e.g., plant-produced myoglobin) for meatiness and functional proteins.

PoLoPo — Molecular farming pioneer that engineers potatoes to act as biofactories for animal proteins (e.g., egg white / ovalbumin) and high-protein tubers.

Pictured top: Elizabeth Lee (Carbon Cell); Maya Sapir-Mir (PoLoPo); Daan Raemdonck (Koppie); Casey Woodward (Agrisound).