Test Farms Startups Call

This call aims to attract startups that are ready to demonstrate the value of their technologies and scale their impact!

Through Test Farms, selected startups will gain access to farmers, agronomists, testing sites, and visibility opportunities. EIT Food is looking for startups that want to: 

• Participate in real-world testing and validation of their agritech or aquatech solutions on European farms or aquaculture sites.
• Engage directly with farmers and agronomists to refine their products based on practical needs and field performance.
• Generate evidence, data, and validation results that strengthen their commercial readiness and investor attractiveness.
• Showcase their solutions to potential clients, partners, and funding sources through visibility and promotional activities.
• Contribute to a more sustainable and efficient agrifood system, bringing digital, biotech, circular, regenerative, or aquatech innovations to market.
• Deliver strong business KPIs, including sales growth, funding attraction, and measurable validation metrics aligned with the programme’s objectives. 

Who is EIT Food looking for?

The Test Farms programme seeks European-based innovative startups that are developing solutions with strong potential to transform agriculture or aquaculture. 

The ideal organisational profile includes: 

• Type of Organisation: Incorporated startup or early-scale-up operating in agri-tech and aqua-tech industry.
• Technology Readiness: Solutions at TRL 6–9, meaning the innovation has been validated in a relevant environment and is ready for real-world testing with end users.
• Innovation Quality: Technologies that demonstrate clear novelty, strong potential for positive environmental or economic impact, and alignment with Test Farms focus themes (e.g., regenerative agriculture, decarbonisation, digital farming, sustainable feed, circular systems).
• Operational Capacity: The ability to deploy and support their solution in the field, including sufficient staffing, technical expertise, and resources to carry out the pilot in collaboration with farmers.
• Data and Learning Orientation: Readiness to collect, analyse, and share performance data to support programme KPIs, contribute to impact measurement, and refine the solution after field validation.
• Scalability & Market Potential: Solutions that have a clear pathway to commercialisation and scaling across European farming or aquaculture systems.
• Collaboration & Communication Skills: Willingness to work closely with farmers, technical partners, and EIT Food teams in a transparent, cooperative manner. 

Eligibility Criteria

This call is open to eligible legally incorporated entities, startups, SMEs. Each implementing participant must be a legally incorporated entity registered in or after 2016 in one of the following countries:

• EU Member States: Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.
• Horizon Europe Associated Countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Israel, Montenegro, Republic of North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine.
• Outermost Regions: Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Réunion, Martinique, Mayotte and Saint-Martin (France), the Azores and Madeira (Portugal), and the Canary Islands (Spain).
• Entities from Western Europe: incorporated companies (SMEs registered in or after 2016) from the following countries: Belgium, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Switzerland, United Kingdom.

Participants need to provide a PIC Number and they need to have developed an innovative solution in aquaculture and/or agriculture/animal husbandry, having a product with TRL 6-9 ready to be tested in real environment. In addition, they must not have participated in previous editions of the Test Farms.

Each application must:

• Be complete, with all mandatory application documents uploaded.  Please, note that the pitch deck is required to be uploaded.
• Be submitted on time via our submission template.  
• Be fully written in English.

Timeline, Funding and Results Communication

The project runs from March 2026 to November 2026. The maximum funding available for that period per application is € 4 000 (lump sum). The lump sum is intended to support a broad set of activities aligned with Horizon Europe and EIT Food priorities.