EIT Food HUBs

Bulgaria

University of Economics – Varna (lead entity)

University of Economics - Varna is a modern, stable, proactive and innovative university with over 100 years of history. The motto of our university is "With academic traditions in the future!". That is why we base our efforts on experience and tradition, but we strive to be flexible in our learning process and in everything we do. This is manifested in the rapidly developing network of partnerships of the higher school with business, public administration, educational structures in the country and abroad, the nonprofit sector and others. We also direct our efforts to corporate, social initiatives. We aim to modify classical education towards a sensible balance of knowledge, skills and competences with an emphasis on "learning by doing" (on site in business and with a broad presence of business in the university).

University of Economics – Varna is the first Bulgarian higher school of economics, founded on 14th of May 1920, by a decision of the Chamber of Commerce in Varna, Bulgaria. Within its over century-long history University of Economics – Varna has provided valuable training to over 155,000 professionals specialising in economics, including many international students from over 60 countries.

Our vision is to strive towards maintaining and developing our position as a leading university with a transformative impact on society through continuous innovation in education, research, creativity and entrepreneurship.

Regional Agency for Entrepreneurship and Innovations – Varna (RAPIV)

Regional Agency for Entrepreneurship and Innovations - Varna (RAPIV) is a non-governmental non-for-profit organisation established in 2002 aiming to stimulate regional economy through the development of entrepreneurship and innovations. Its members include representatives of 4 types of organisations: central and local government, academic and scientific institutions, NGOs and businessеs as well as physical persons. RAPIV has carried out activities in: (1) direct business support through education, trainings, consulting, mentoring and other support services for start-ups within the activity of the Business Incubator, Women Entrepreneurship Centre – Bulgaria, and own Start2UP Accelerator Programme; (2) Conducting surveys, research and analysis and development of strategic documents on different topics ranging from female entrepreneurship policies and support, internationalisation, innovation and economic developments, etc.

Croatia

Smion
Smion is an innovation hub dedicated to building an entrepreneurial ecosystem that supports growth and innovation. With a mission to empower startups, our team specialises in developing tools, resources, and programs tailored to support early-stage ventures from idea validation to market entry. We've successfully executed 67 innovative projects, conducted more than 230 educational sessions and workshops, and organised 50+ events that encourage innovation, collaboration, and networking. Our impact is evident in the significant engagement of our community, with over 3,000 users having benefited from our programs and events. We offer services including incubation, acceleration, corporate innovation, and venture building programs. Focusing on and integrating three key verticals agrifood, healthtech, and greentech, we amplify benefits across these sectors, enhancing sustainable food production, health outcomes, and environmental innovation for a compounded, positive impact in Croatia.

Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology

The Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology University of Zagreb provides undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate education in Food Technology, Biotechnology and Nutrition Science, which is based on scientific, fundamental, applicative and developmental research carried out to the effect of coming up with novel knowledge and novel ideas, encouraging criticism in reasoning and creativity, and transferring knowledge and innovations into the economic sector and the society on the whole. This faculty is recognised as an academic institution with a clearly defined and unique research profile characterised by scientific excellence acknowledged internationally and excellence in education provided in food technology, biotechnology, and nutrition science. The Faculty plays a key role in the sustainable development of science & technology, economy and society.

Czech Republic

University of Chemistry and Technology Prague
The Faculty of Food and Biochemical Technology at the University of Chemistry and Technology Prague is place where the activities of the EIT Food Hub are performed. It ranks among leading university centres of food science and embraces both traditional food science fields, food technologies and innovations for the food industry, as well as current trends in the development of food and biochemical sciences, food analysis and nutrition, including several ISO 17025 accredited laboratories dealing with food quality, safety and authenticity assessment.

South Moravian Innovation Centre (JIC)
JIC is a leading innovation agency in the Czech Republic providing support services to innovative companies in the South Moravian region. Our mission is to empower people to grow businesses that can change the world. Our vision is an open innovation ecosystem which is home to globally successful entrepreneurs and which inspires the world. JIC runs a comprehensive set of programmes that cover full spectrum of an entrepreneurial life cycle – from the first idea to a start-up with validated business model to a growing business scaling to global markets.

Estonia

Tartu Biotechnology Park
Tartu Biotechnology Park (TBP) provides physical infrastructure and business development and consultancy services to companies and R&D institutions. It supports companies in finding cooperation partners and is active in the establishment process of new companies. The main aim is to support companies in developing their business through direct consultations, provide support with the help of EU programs and support the local innovation ecosystem through different collaborations, projects and events. The aim of TBP is to create a favourable and developing environment for the promotion of biotechnological entrepreneurship in Estonia.
Starting from September 2005 TBP runs the BioMed incubator for biotechnology (including foodtech and cosmetics).

Hungary

Campden BRI Hungary
Campden BRI Hungary is an independent R&D centre that has skills and experience on knowledge transfer, training, networking, fostering innovation on FSCM, transparency and food safety risk assessment, application of transdisciplinary knowledge and solutions from ICT, advanced manufacturing sectors for solving technological problems in the modernization of the food industry by using their enabling functions. This is supported by practical experience in food and process development, legal, consumer and sensory research.

PANNON Pro Innovations
PANNON is a private consultancy providing a wide range of innovation management and entrepreneurship support activities. Their key focus areas are sustainability, food innovation, circular economy, sustainable cities, energy-transition and bioeconomy. PANNON works with startups from the very early stage to mature, investment-ready ones. With their excellent team and a huge network in the sustainability and business sector, they are pioneers in supporting cleantech startups and entrepreneurs in Hungary. They have been delivering EIT Climate-KIC startup programmes since 2014, have been organising local workshops and recruiting Hungarian startups for EIT Food and EIT Raw Materials programmes since 2021.

Latvia

Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies (LBTU)

Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies (LBTU) has established itself as a prominent and influential player in the agri-food industry in Latvia. The university's commitment to science-driven methodologies and technological advancements resonates across diverse domains, from zero-residue technologies to the preservation of biologically active compounds, and the optimisation of food chains while maximising resource utilisation. Equipped with cutting-edge pilot plant laboratories and sensory evaluation equipment, LBTU conducts meticulous field trials to evaluate both raw materials and finished products. Benefiting from vast expertise in cultivating traditional and non-traditional crops, as well as processing and harvesting plant materials, LBTU boasts extensive infrastructure for field and greenhouse trials across varied agro-ecological conditions. The Latvia Investment and Development Agency (LIAA) The Latvia Investment and Development Agency (LIAA) is a state agency under the Ministry of Economics that promotes business development, investment, and innovation in Latvia. It attracts foreign direct investments by highlighting Latvia's business-friendly environment, strategic location, and skilled workforce. LIAA supports Latvian companies in expanding their international presence and enhancing exports through various programs and trade missions. The agency fosters innovation and supports startups and entrepreneurs with training, mentorship, and financial assistance.

Latvian Rural Advisory and Training Centre (LLKC)

Latvian Rural Advisory and Training Centre (LLKC) is the largest agriculture and rural advisory organisation in Latvia. LLKC is advisory enterprise which is owned by the state (99%) and the Latvian Farmers Federation (1%). More than 30 years’ experience in this sector and all services of LLKC are provided by: 26 regional offices throughout the whole territory of Latvia providing state and EU funded information services and advice (incl. activities of National Rural Network and Fisheries Network) and commercial services (incl. agri-environmental advice, crop, livestock, accounting, economy, trainings) and other activities. 9 forest advisory offices, providing trainings, information and advice for private forest owners. National Centre in Ozolnieki provides methodological advice for the regional offices and development of new products and services. LLKC is also leading professional development centre for professionals and employees involved in agriculture and rural development in Latvia. LLKC has created a very broad pipeline engaging pupils in preschools, schools’ youth, young entrepreneurs in rural areas.

Lithuania

AgriFood Lithuania is a digital innovation hub and cluster connecting the most important Lithuanian research, business, and public stakeholders for the common pursuit of digital transformation in the agrifood and associated sectors. By linking stakeholders with international and cross-sectoral initiatives, it serves as a one-stop-shop for AgriFood Tech innovation development and cooperation opportunities. In 2020, the European Commission included AgriFood Lithuania DIH as one of two good practice examples of European sectoral DIHs in the JRC science for policy report.

Vilniaus kolegija/Higher Education Institution (VIKO) is the largest accredited professional higher education institution in Lithuania, which was founded in 2000 merging 8 schools of advanced education. VIKO has 435 qualified academic staff members, 60 of whom are Doctors of Science (PhD), and about 6 500 students in 40 study programmes within 7 faculties: Electronics and Informatics, Economics, Business Management, Health Care, Pedagogic, Arts and Creative Technologies and Agro-technologies. 9 study programmes are carried out in English.

Romania

Impact Hub Bucharest

Launched back in 2012, Impact Hub Bucharest supports the development of entrepreneurial and innovative initiatives with positive impact through co-working spaces, growth and incubation programs, conferences and events and an online platform to digitise our support for entrepreneurs and make it available nationwide. Impact Hub Bucharest is part of the global Impact Hub network that has over 100 locations on 5 continents. Impact Hub Bucharest has an active role in both innovation ecosystem as a connector and facilitator, but also in the food system as an events and acceleration programs organiser. For Impact Hub Bucharest to represent EIT Food as an EIT Food Hub is a great opportunity to connect the national network of agri-food entrepreneurs and innovators with European opportunities.

Brasov Metropolitan Agency for Sustainable Development

Since its establishment in 2006, Brasov Metropolitan Agency for Sustainable Development has been facilitating cooperation between member communities and other relevant stakeholders and building capacity for the joint implementation of sustainable development activities and policies (supporting social progress, promoting effective environmental protection measures, encouraging the rational use of natural resources, supporting economic growth). The Agency serves its 19 members (local public authorities, including Brasov Municipality and County Council) and acts as an engine for sustainable metropolitan and regional development, through initiatives related to capacity and knowledge building, participation, education, policy design and implementation. Brasov Metropolitan Agency for Sustainable Development has prioritised and undertaken food-related initiatives for almost 10 years, and is a partner in the Urban Agenda for the EU Thematic Partnership on Food, aiming to share its experience and contribute to the EU regulatory process in the field.

Serbia

NALED

The National Alliance for Local Economic Development (NALED) is a non-profit, non-partisan association, working to create better living and working conditions in Serbia and the region. It is the largest public-private association in the area, with over 300 members and a partner network of over 100 institutions and international organisations. NALED actively promotes public-private dialogue and is a key contributor in shaping reform priorities and legislation relevant for the economy. NALED's expertise is vast, with its professionals contributing to more than 70 government working groups for drafting legislation and national strategies on topics such as counteracting shadow economy, enhancing competitiveness, and developing digital economy, among others. Its Executive Office consists of 86 full-time employees, and it also involves a broad network of over 100 consultants and experts, both national and international, providing technical expertise for a variety of stakeholders. Apart from its domestic impact, NALED is a catalyst for reforms in Southeast Europe. Since 2012, it has been serving as the regional secretariat of the Regional Network for Improving the Business Environment in Southeast Europe, encompassing more than 20 institutions and organisations from across the region. This network propels regional initiatives for harmonizing investment policies, like acquisition of construction permits (e-permits), registration of seasonal workers, and cadaster reform. NALED has proven expertise in developing software tools and platforms for the benefit of citizens, businesses, and institutions, such as e-construction permitting, a system for registering seasonal workers, and a Regional SEE BFC /ICT tool, among others. Its Analytics and Research unit provides independent analyses, evaluations, and reports, having developed over 400 of such publications. NALED has also founded alliances between companies, local governments, associations, and research institutions to support a modern regulatory and institutional framework and a stable business environment. These alliances focus on various sectors including environment protection, fair competition, e-government, food and agriculture, healthcare, property and investment. In addition to its other departments, NALED has a dedicated Communication and development department, with PR and Marketing units experienced in outreach campaigns, increasing visibility, raising awareness, and disseminating project results.

University of Novi Sad

University of Novi Sad Faculty of Agriculture (UNSFA) stands as the nation's foremost institution dedicated to agricultural and agrifood education. With a robust team of 350, including 250 members focused on research and teaching, UNSFA spearheads the creation and dissemination of knowledge and innovation across the agricultural sector. At UNSFA, our curriculum spans eight diverse departments: Animal Science, Field and Vegetable Crops, Fruit Growing, Viticulture, Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural Economics, Water Management, Plant and Environmental Protection, and Veterinary Medicine. This comprehensive approach ensures a rich, interdisciplinary education for our students. To support our educational and research objectives, UNSFA operates several state-of-the-art experimental sites. These include an edible insect farm, a cow-calf system farm, an advanced experimental poultry farm, agroforestry grounds, as well as vineyards and orchards for wine and fruit production respectively. Each site provides invaluable hands-on experience and research opportunities for our students and faculty, reinforcing our commitment to practical and innovative agricultural education.

Slovakia

Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra (SUA)

Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra (SUA) has been in one of the leading positions of Slovak universities since its establishment in 1952. SUA is the only agricultural university and as well as the only university recognised as the EIT Food Hub (2019-2023) in Slovakia and a member of the EIT HEI Initiative (from 2023). In 2023, SUA was included in one of the most prestigious rankings of world universities, The Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2024 (THE WUR 2024).The relevant internal infrastructure of the university focused on the food sector priority includes the Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences and the AgroBioTech Research Centre with the newly created Food Incubator (in 2023) and EIT Food Office (in 2022) as integral parts of the university and Transfer Centre as part of Office of Project and Transfer Activities with strong support from EU projects including EIT, international programs and other national schemes.


The Center for Scientific and Technical Information of the Slovak Republic (SCSTI)
The Center for Scientific and Technical Information of the Slovak Republic (SCSTI) is a directly managed organisation of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic, a national information center for science, technology, innovation and education and a scientific library of the Slovak Republic. It coordinates activities and provides interdisciplinary research and development centers and national infrastructures for research, development, innovation and education.

Slovenia

Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia–Chamber of Agricultural and Food Enterprises (CCIS–CAFE)

Our fundamental mission revolves around fostering connections, providing indispensable assistance, and nurturing the growth of enterprises within our industry.

With a seasoned team and years of experience, we are dedicated to leveraging our expertise to empower our members. Together, we strive to shape perspectives and policies, promote the development of the sector while facilitating the exchange of knowledge, ideas, and best practices - both locally and across Europe.

As EIT Food Hub in Slovenia we want to support and empower a culture of ingenuity and forward thinking. We encourage bold, boundary-pushing ideas that can stimulate food innovation ecosystem and technological development to tackle the challenges in the agri-food sector in Slovenia.

Türkiye

Impact hub Istanbul

Operating in 60 countries around the world, and with more than 100 centres, Impact Hub is a platform which brings the impact driven changemakers together and provides the collaborative environment they need. Serving as a member of the global Impact Hub network, Impact Hub Istanbul designs collaborations with influential partners and provides programs, events, mentorship, office areas and networking support for social entrepreneurs and impact oriented individuals and institutions. The Impact Hub membership is based on a system that consists of people from a wide variety of disciplines like entrepreneurs, consultants, investors, designers, freelancers, etc. Vibrant community, inspiring space and meaningful content are the core of the Impact Hub experience.

With the local community and global network, Impact Hub Istanbul is making progress to build a more sustainable world for everyone and have a common language on the Global Sustainable Development Goals (SGD) for the global issues that demand urgent action.

Yaşar University

Yaşar University aspires to become Aegean Region’s most active innovation & entrepreneurship hub fostering inclusive spin-offs/startups/scale-ups by creating and sustaining innovative networks. The University is also pioneering in the areas of digital technologies applied in the agri-food sector; all this to achieve sustainable circular economic development, meeting all the regional, environmental, cultural, and social needs, in compliance with 4 actors (industry, academia, government and civil society) by 2030. Yaşar University was established in 2001 and it is one of the leading HEIs of Turkey for its 10 faculties (Law, Economics and Administrative Sciences, Engineering, Communication, Arts and Design, Science and Letters, Architecture, Business, Human and Social Sciences, Agricultural Sciences and Technologies), its 4 schools (School of Applied Sciences, Vocational School, Vocational School of Justice, and School of Foreign Languages), its Graduate School and its research centres such as the EU Research Centre, Open and Distance Learning Centre, Knowledge & Technology Transfer Office and Continuing Education Centre.

Portugal

BGI

Building Global Innovators - Sustainable Ventures (BGI) is a Ventures Builder that empowers technology based solutions to reach the market and deliver lasting impacts for sustainable communities. As a “spinout” of the E&I Initiative of MIT Portugal, BGI has established itself as a pivotal startup accelerator across Europe. BGI has been committed to creating value from a triple bottom line, sustainability perspective. It helps startups and deep-tech SMEs to achieve their business, economic and environmental sustainability goals through acceleration, internationalisation (access to global markets) and access to investment. Also, we empower innovators with the knowledge and resources needed to lead sustainable innovation through expert knowledge and ecosystem insights. BGI creates synergies and collaboration opportunities between different stakeholders (startups, corporate, SMEs, universities, accelerators and incubators, research centres, public bodies), through open & collaborative innovation.

Italy

The University of Bari Aldo Moro (UNIBA):

The University of Bari Aldo Moro (UNIBA), was founded in 1925 and is attended today by about 60,000 students, across the Bari, Brindisi, and Taranto campuses. UNIBA has 8 training courses on agriculture, food production and food biotechnology. In addition, there are 3 PhD courses and 1 Master relevant to food production, food safety, food chemistry, and nutrition.

Aside from teaching, the university is also focused on scientific research at the doctorate level. UNIBA is targeted to training of specific professional figures, transferring knowledge and research results to industrial, business, social and cultural contexts.

Moreover, UNIBA has a Contamination Lab in which young students, graduates, PhD students and start uppers meets and develop innovative ideas in different fields, like Food, agriculture e circular economy and has created TECNOPOLIS PST, a technological scientific park that promote innovative enterprises, spin-off, technology transfer to local and national enterprises.

UNIBA is member of more than 90 national and international academical consortiums and associations and is partner of National Technology Agrifood Cluster CL.A.N., a multi-stakeholder network of the key national players of the entire Agri-food chain: a partnership of companies, research centres and institutions set up to promote sustainable economic growth, based on research and innovation in the industry and acting as partner for Italian and European Institutions.

TECNOLOPOLIS

TECNOPOLIS Science & Technology Park is based in Puglia region (South of Italy). It is fully owned by University of Bari and it has high level competence in entrepreneurial processes, technology transfer initiatives and capitalisation activities in both public and private sector as BSO. In recent years, Tecnopolis worked in several national and EU projects promoting tourism and cultural and creative SMEs as a driver of economic growth at European level. It is also committed into "One Health" sector, agri-food and climate resilience.

Greece

Democritus University

Democritus University of Thrace, was founded in 1973 and named ‘Democritus’ in honour of the ancient Greek philosopher Democritus, whose origin was from the town of Abdera in Thrace. The administrative seat of the University resides in the city of Komotini, the capital city of the Administrative Region of East Macedonia & Thrace. The University is currently operating 8 Schools, 20 Departments and a wide variety of Postgraduate Programs, with a student population that reaches approximately 29,000 (undergraduate, graduate students and candidate PhD students) and with a research and teaching staff that exceeds 700 people.

Within a vividly changing environment, DUTH continues to aim both at educational and research excellence while, it also builds upon the challenges and demands of the future. It re-orients its research strategy based upon innovation, entrepreneurship, technology, the new digital era, the growth of large-scale research and the pursuit of financial resources from various agencies both in Greece and abroad. Nowadays, the landmark of DUTH is imparted via innovative graduate programs of international recognition as well as through initiatives that allows the university to overcome the barriers of modern bureaucracy and geographical seclusion. DUTH seeks to reinforce its research profile through collaborations and projects that render it one of the leading research organisations in Greece.

ENA Development Consultant.

ENA Development Consultants. was founded in 2006 and it is based in Xanthi, Greece. It provides high-level consulting in both the private and the public sector by annually supporting more than 5.500 farmers, enterprises, individuals and organisations. The total capital attraction for private sector investments in the last programming period of 2014-2020 exceeded €141 million. Furthermore, ENA participates as Innovation & Communication Mediator in #DigiAgriFood “Digital Transformation and Green Transition of the Agri-Food Value Chain in Central and Northern Greece”, being one of the four EDIHs in Greece, and the only one in the agrifood sector.