New accelerator launched for early

Founders and teams developing solutions for agriculture and the food industry can apply until September 7 for AgriStart, a new programme dedicated to agrifood startups. Organised by Impact Hub Bucharest, in its role as EIT Food Country Representative, with the support of EIT Food and Bayer, the programme will help the 10 selected teams move from idea to market. EIT Food is supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union.

AgriStart is launching at a time when agriculture and the food industry are undergoing major changes, while technology is playing an increasingly important role in the way food is produced, processed, and distributed. Romania has one of the largest agricultural areas in Europe, but the sector continues to face challenges including climate change, an ageing workforce, and insufficient access to modern technologies.

According to the Romanian AgriFood Startups Overview Report 2024, the Romanian agrifood startup ecosystem has significant potential, but founders still face barriers related to access to funding, resources, and infrastructure. At the same time, local startups are developing solutions across a wide range of areas, from farm digitalisation and process automation to new food products and more sustainable business models. This direction is also supported by a recent OECD analysis of Romania’s agricultural innovation system, which identifies Agriculture 4.0, sustainable farming technologies, sensor networks, traceability, and robotics among the areas with potential to support the sector’s development.

AgriStart is structured in two stages. In the first stage, 10 teams will work between September and October alongside mentors, entrepreneurs, and industry experts on topics including business model validation, customer understanding, go-to-market strategy, and pitching. The programme also includes four individual mentoring sessions.

Of the 10 teams, the two most promising startups will continue to the second stage between October and November. They will receive intensive support for commercialisation, access to an Advisory Board made up of industry experts and leaders, and specialised services worth up to EUR 2,000 per startup.

“There are many ideas and solutions in Romania that can contribute to transforming agriculture and the food system, but for many of them, the path from a promising innovation to a product that actually reaches the market remains difficult. Through AgriStart, we want to intervene precisely at this stage: to help founders validate their business model, better understand customer needs, and build concrete steps towards launch. We want the 10 selected teams to leave the programme not only with more knowledge, but with a stronger business foundation and a clear direction for the next stages of development,” said Oana Craioveanu, CEO and co-founder of Impact Hub Bucharest.

The programme is aimed at early-stage entrepreneurs, startups, researchers and academics seeking to turn research into a product, innovators from companies or NGOs, EIT Food Challenge Labs alumni, and multidisciplinary teams developing solutions with applications in the agrifood sector.

Teams can apply if they are working on a validated idea, prototype, MVP, initial market tests, or a solution with clear commercial potential in areas including AgriTech, FoodTech, Precision Agriculture, Digital Agriculture, Smart Farming, Sustainable Food, Circular Economy, Food Waste, Packaging, and Supply Chain.

Participants must have established a legal entity in 2026 or commit to setting one up by the end of the first stage of the programme.

Applications are open until September 7, 2026, inclusive, with participant selection taking place on September 8-9. The selected teams will be announced on September 10, and the programme will begin on September 15 with an online kickoff meeting.