EIT Food Calls for Proposals 2026: Strategic Opportunities for Agrifood Innovators

Europe’s agrifood system is at a turning point. Climate change, biodiversity loss, rising production costs, market volatility and skills gaps are putting unprecedented pressure on farmers, startups, researchers and policymakers. At the same time, innovation in food, agriculture and biotechnology has never been more critical.

Against this backdrop, EIT Food has published its Calls for Proposals 2026, outlining a comprehensive portfolio of funding, programmes and partnership opportunities for the coming year. For the Agriventures community – startups, farmers, researchers, NGOs and ecosystem builders across Central and Eastern Europe – these calls represent concrete pathways to scale innovation, access capital and collaborate at European level.

This article highlights the most relevant opportunities and explains why 2026 is a particularly important year to engage.

EIT Food’s Strategic Direction for 2026

The 2026 Calls for Proposals are structured around three long-term missions that align closely with EU policy priorities and real market needs:

• A Net Zero Food System

• Healthier Lives Through Food

• Food System Resilience

To achieve system-level change, EIT Food is prioritising innovation in three key areas:

• Regenerative and Resilient Agriculture – supporting farmers and landscapes in the transition to climate-smart practices

• Protein Diversification – accelerating new protein solutions and sustainable value chains

• Agrifood Biotechnology – advancing food security, nutrition and environmental performance

Rather than isolated projects, EIT Food is increasingly focused on scaling what works, connecting education, entrepreneurship, research and industry uptake.

Key Opportunities for Startups and Entrepreneurs

Accelerator Network Programme 2026

For early-stage agrifood startups, the EIT Food Accelerator Network (FAN) remains one of the strongest European acceleration programmes. In 2026, selected startups will join a 3‑month, theme-based programme designed to:

• Validate technology and business models

• Strengthen product development

• Improve market and investment readiness

Who should apply: Agrifood startups and SMEs with validated concepts and ambition to scale in Europe.

Funding: Approximately €3,000–€53,000 per startup, plus access to mentors, corporates and investors.

RaisingFoodStars

Startups graduating from the Accelerator Network can apply for RaisingFoodStars, EIT Food’s seal of excellence for scale-ups. This certification signals maturity and credibility to investors and corporate partners.

Best for: Startups preparing for significant commercial partnerships or fundraising rounds.

EIT Jumpstarter 2026

For innovators at idea or pre-startup stage, EIT Jumpstarter offers a 7‑month pre-acceleration journey, combining online bootcamps, training and a final pitch competition.

Who should apply: Individuals and early teams from emerging and moderate innovator countries – particularly relevant for South and Eastern Europe.

Incentives: Training, mentoring and financial prizes for top teams.

Empowering Women in Agrifood (EWA)

One of the most impactful programmes in the EIT Food portfolio, EWA – Empowering Women in Agrifood, continues in 2026 with two complementary calls:

• Call for Implementing Organisations – targeting entities in RIS countries to deliver the programme nationally

• Call for Women Entrepreneurs (Participants) – supporting women founders with training, mentoring and financial support

This programme directly addresses the gender gap in agrifood entrepreneurship and has proven results across Europe.

Why it matters for Agriventures: EWA aligns strongly with our mission to support inclusive entrepreneurship and unlock underrepresented talent in agriculture and food innovation.

Venture Building in South and Eastern Europe

EIT Food is explicitly investing in reducing regional disparities in innovation capacity. In 2026, several calls focus on venture building in underrepresented regions:

• Training Venture Building clusters in South and Eastern Europe

• Supporting Venture Building organisations and consortia in these regions

These calls are highly relevant for ecosystem builders, NGOs, incubators and hybrid organisations working close to local innovators.

Major Focus: Resilient and Regenerative Agriculture Landscapes

A significant part of the 2026 calls targets landscape-level transformation. EIT Food is launching multiple calls for implementation partners across Europe, including:

• Finland

• Serbia

• France

• Spain (Extremadura, Navarra)

• Ireland

• Poland

• United Kingdom

These initiatives bring together farmers, researchers, businesses and public actors to:

• Implement regenerative practices

• Improve soil health and biodiversity

• Develop monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) systems

• Test innovative financing instruments for large-scale transition

For organisations working with farmers, cooperatives, labs or agtech solutions, these calls open doors to long-term, impact-driven projects.

Education, Skills and Talent Development

EIT Food continues to invest heavily in skills for the future food system, including:

• Entrepreneurship and Innovation modules in the Master in Food Systems

• EdTech platform investment

• Inspire Programme contributors

• Biotech and Resilient Agriculture Skills Academies

These calls are particularly relevant for universities, training providers, research organisations and edtech innovators.

Why This Matters for the Agriventures Community

The EIT Food Calls for Proposals 2026 are not just funding opportunities – they are strategic entry points into the European agrifood innovation ecosystem. For startups, they offer acceleration and credibility. For farmers, they enable access to innovation and transition support. For ecosystem builders, they create space to scale impact at regional and European level.

At Agriventures, we see 2026 as a critical year to:

• Position South and Eastern Europe more strongly in EU innovation programmes

• Support startups and researchers in navigating complex calls

• Build consortia that combine science, entrepreneurship and real-world farming needs

What’s Next

All calls are published and regularly updated on Agriventures open calls platform. Timelines, budgets and scope may evolve, so early preparation and partnership building are key.

If you are a startup, farmer, researcher or organisation interested in applying – or looking for partners – Agriventures is here to support you with:

• Call screening and strategic fit analysis

• Consortium building

• Proposal development and review

Contact us: start@agriventures.co