The FoodBioX Market Discovery Module is a 6-month, execution-driven programme designed for early-stage food biotech and food tech ventures at TRL 2–4. Its objective is to transform early technical concepts into market-anchored opportunities through intensive, evidence-based market discovery. Each participating startup receives weekly support from a dedicated team of business and technical experts at Shakeup Factory, drawing on 25+ years of global food and ingredient innovation experience, including senior R&D and commercial leadership at Unilever and leading European foodtech ventures. Over the programme, startups conduct 50+ targeted stakeholder interviews with potential customers, industrial partners, ingredient buyers, and value chain actors, following a structured discovery framework. Through Shakeup Factory's curated European food biotech ecosystem, spanning corporates, research centres, pilot facilities, universities, and innovation clusters, participants benefit from warm introductions and qualified feedback loops. The module builds sector-specific market sizing, competitive and technology landscape mapping, and application fit validation across food, feed, and ingredient markets. Startups are also directed to relevant industry events and EU initiatives including FIE, Bridge2Food, and Vita Food. Each venture exits with a documented validation report, prioritised target segments, validated problem–solution fit signals, and a concrete next-step roadmap toward pilots or first commercial partnerships. This food-sector-specialised, network-powered programme is part of FoodBioX, the EU's food biotech open innovation platform led by Shakeup Factory and run in partnership with EIT Food.
The service is offered at €7,500 per startup for the full 6-month programme, corresponding to a daily rate of €535 over 14 days of expert and facilitation time. This service is eligible for the EIC ACCESS+ co-funding scheme. EIC beneficiaries may use their ACCESS+ budget to cover the cost. No equity is taken.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year. Places are limited to expert availability; early applications are encouraged. The programme is open to EIC beneficiaries at TRL 2–4 active in food biotech, alternative proteins, precision fermentation, molecular farming, or related segments.
Acceleration, Incubation & Venture building
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Is this the service you are looking for? If so, you can apply to the service through EIC ACCESS+! Eligible applicants can also get co-funding through the EIC ACCESS+ initiative. Find out more on the project webiste.
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