News

EIT Food announces 2019 winners

19 Nov 2019

The European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) Food has announced the winners of its 2019 EIT Food Accelerator Network Programme: Orbem AI, uFraction8 and Trigger Systems.

The finalists were invited to compete for three awards, consisting of financial support worth €100,000 each.

EIT Food announces 2019 winners

Orbem AI, based in Germany, has developed a patented Al technology for the poultry industry to revolutionise the way we produce food. uFraction8, from the UK, is helping biomanufacturers to de-water and concentrate biomass using the latest technology to build sustainable and scalable systems. Trigger Systems is a Portugal-based company that provides a web platform to control several systems for the automatic and efficient management of water and energy.

The 12 finalists were selected from a group of 52 agrifood technology startups involved in the 2019 EIT Food Accelerator Network (EIT FAN) Programme. Over a four-month acceleration period, these startups have had access to tools, connections, mentors and expertise to help them succeed.

Held in Switzerland, Germany and Israel, the EIT FAN aims to make Europe the go-to innovation hub for the world’s most promising agrifood startups.

The winners of the 2019 EIT Food Accelerator Network Programme received their awards at The Venture Summit in Lisbon, EIT Food’s annual event that brings together Europe’s best agrifood startups, investors and key figures from across the agrifood system.

Benoit Buntinx, Director of Business Creation for EIT Food, said: “Many congratulations to our winners from our EIT Food Accelerator Network Programme. The ideas of these startups are helping to tackle global food challenges and address the gap between innovation and the realisation of genuine business opportunities. It has been a pleasure collaborating with the 52 agrifood startups over the last months and seeing first-hand the disruptive ideas they are working on.”

Related tags

Innovation and R&D

Related news

Oat Barista: Innovation  for game-changing beverages

Oat Barista: Innovation for game-changing beverages

20 Nov 2025

Oat Barista is a clean label, sustainable, and innovative drink base specifically designed to create the perfect foam in one single ingredient.

Read more 
Nitrites: Pressure grows on UK to follow EU’s lead

Nitrites: Pressure grows on UK to follow EU’s lead

20 Nov 2025

Pressure is growing on the UK to follow the EU’s lead after the bloc revised its regulations on the permitted levels of nitrites and nitrates in cured meats.

Read more 
Empowering innovation in fortification and colouration

Empowering innovation in fortification and colouration

13 Nov 2025

Divi’s Nutraceuticals offers a large portfolio of innovative, high-quality ingredients for foods, beverages, and supplements, with bespoke solutions and expert support for product success.

Read more 
Danone highlights digestive health as potential ‘tipping point’ for food industry

Danone highlights digestive health as potential ‘tipping point’ for food industry

13 Nov 2025

Danone is betting on a food industry “tipping point” that will bloat the market for healthy products, particularly those related to gut health.

Read more 
Standing Ovation and Bel scale up casein production from dairy co-products

Standing Ovation and Bel scale up casein production from dairy co-products

11 Nov 2025

Foodtech company Standing Ovation has partnered with cheese specialist Bel Group to manufacture dairy serums for industrial-scale casein production via precision fermentation.

Read more 
AI attraction means foodtech startups must ‘prove’ rather than ‘promise’

AI attraction means foodtech startups must ‘prove’ rather than ‘promise’

4 Nov 2025

Reports suggest that artificial intelligence (AI) is sucking investment from foodtech and agritech, but investors say the picture is complicated.

Read more 
Will postbiotics become the go-to functional ingredient?

Will postbiotics become the go-to functional ingredient?

3 Nov 2025

Postbiotics show significant promise for the functional foods market due to their safety profile and beneficial bioactive properties, research suggests.

Read more 
Meet the finalists of the Fi Europe Innovation Awards 2025

Meet the finalists of the Fi Europe Innovation Awards 2025

31 Oct 2025

Who made it to the shortlist of the Fi Europe Innovation Awards 2025? Read about the 23 companies making food and drink products healthier and manufacturing processes more efficient.

Read more 
Penguin and Club bars no longer classed as chocolate

Penguin and Club bars no longer classed as chocolate

30 Oct 2025

Penguin and Club bars can no longer be classified as chocolate after the pladis-owned McVitie’s brands turned to cheaper alternatives amid the ongoing cocoa crisis.

Read more 
Shorter drying time, sweeter success!

Shorter drying time, sweeter success!

30 Oct 2025

Curious about cost-effective, sustainable and delicious candy making? Stefan Wessel reveals how Avebe’s solutions reduce drying time and energy use by up to 50%.

Read more