Food Pioneers Accelerator

Food Pioneers Accelerator is committed to making the food chain more efficient, sustainable and healthy. New technologies and innovations play a major role in solving these societal challenges.

More and more companies are developing solutions that use raw materials more efficiently, make production healthier and are better for us and our environment. We support SMEs and SMBs in the Southern Netherlands and Flanders with innovative food solutions in the technical scale-up phase to find a demo or production partner.

For many entrepreneurs it turns out to be difficult to take the step to technical scale-up after the lab and pilot phase. Food Pioneers Accelerator supports these companies and puts them in contact with new production partners across the border to find a way to market faster together.

When such a "match" has been made, an application can be submitted for guidance and financial support for the scale-up issue. Innovations that, for example, contribute to a better valorization of side and residual streams from food production, or that help make new plant-based products such as meat and dairy substitutes tastier and healthier get a boost as a result.

The Food Pioneers Accelerator project group consists of 3 organizations from the Southern Netherlands and 3 from Flanders, all focused on driving innovation in different areas. Development and knowledge centers, including innovative demo and production facilities, are strongly represented in this border region. With our knowledge, network and subsidies, we support entrepreneurs with their technical scale-up issues.

Criteria participating companies

What must an organization meet in order to qualify for support?

• Located in the southern Netherlands (Zeeland, North Brabant or Limburg) or Flanders;
• Self-employed;
• Less than 250 employees and;
• An annual turnover not exceeding €50 million or a balance sheet total not exceeding €43 million;
• When the company has been in existence for more than 3 years, its equity must be more than 50% of the issued capital.

Criteria project

• The innovation contributes to making the food chain more sustainable. Examples include the reuse of side and residual streams, making plant-based products such as meat and dairy substitutes tastier and healthier, or a more environmentally friendly or healthier production process;
• The lab or test phase is completed and the developed product is ready to make the step to a commercial end product;
• It involves a technical scale-up issue such as conducting a pilot production or solving a feasibility issue;

What support do we offer?

Does your organization and issue meet the criteria? Then we will gladly start working for you. Together we will map out the issue. Then we will look for a production partner across the border who can carry it out. For the application of subsidies it is important that it is a cross-border cooperation.

When the match and budget are made, an application can be made for financial support. In this we distinguish two types of scale-up projects:

A small scale-up project is a feasibility request with a budget between €25,000 and €125,000. This involves solving a technical, legal and possibly (partly) economic feasibility question. For example, questions about product sustainability, technology exploration or a specific production component

A large scale-up project is a demonstration of a pilot production with a budget between €125,000 and €250,000. This involves demonstrating a pre-commercial production. For example, conducting pilot productions on a large scale to overcome technical and economic obstacles to scale-up.

How it works

• We start with an introductory meeting in which we find out what kind of production partner you are looking for and whether the scale-up issue qualifies for support.
• Then we will search the Food Pioneers Accelerator network for the best manufacturing partner across the border for implementation.
• Once the match and budget are made, an application for grant funding of up to 50% of the budget for implementation can be submitted.
• Once a quarter, all applications are reviewed by our committee of independent experts.
• When your application is approved you can get started! Also in the implementation you will be guided by us. An interim and final report are requested.