Results of the evaluation process for Implementing Participants of Empowering Women in Agrifood (EWA) programme 2025 in the CEE region

The evaluation process for the EIT Food CLC North-East collected 17 applications from countries including Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Estonia, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia and Ukraine.

A transparent evaluation process was conducted, with criteria clearly defined in a publicly available open call. The assessment was carried out by a panel consisting of two experienced external evaluators and one internal evaluator, ensuring a fair and rigorous review of all submitted proposals.

Albania – Balance Center

Balance Center is a non-governmental, non-profit organization dedicated to fostering entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainable development in Albania. With a team of 45 experts, it supports new and struggling businesses through tailored coaching, training, and mentoring. Since 2016, Balance has trained over 4,500 entrepreneurs, creating more than 9,000 jobs. Key initiatives include CoSolve, supporting 700 businesses since 2020, and Beyond IDEA, promoting green and tech startups. Hosting Albania’s UN Women Entrepreneurship EXPO Satellite, it empowers women in rural tourism, agro-processing, and eco-friendly enterprises.

Learn more about Balance Center on their webpage.

Estonia - Tartu BT Park

Tartu Biotechnology Park (TBP) is a leading hub for innovation in Estonia’s biotechnology sector, providing office and laboratory spaces alongside business development and consultancy services. With 20 years of experience, TBP supports startups and established companies in health, foodtech, biotech, and cosmetics through networking, technology transfer, and market analysis. It fosters collaboration between research institutions, businesses, and international partners while organizing events like hackathons and seminars to drive innovation. TBP plays a key role in strengthening Estonia’s biotech ecosystem and supporting foreign companies entering the market.

Learn more about Tartu BT Park on their webpage.

North Macedonia - Foundation for Management and Industrial Research

MIR is a dynamic organization driving economic development, innovation, and sustainability. It supports startups and scale-ups through entrepreneurship programs, including the YES incubator and Women in Business initiatives. MIR’s four key areas—economic development, research & innovation, environment, and society—focus on technology transfer, eco-innovation, and inclusive growth. A member of the Enterprise Europe Network since 2008, MIR actively promotes women entrepreneurship, organizes networking and pitching events, and provides policy recommendations. It advocates for gender equality in STEM and innovation while fostering a stronger, greener, and more inclusive economy.

Learn more about Foundation for Management and Industrial Research on their webpage.

Poland - StartUp Hub Poland

StartUp Hub Poland (SHP) is a non-profit organization based in Warsaw with 12 years of experience supporting high-tech startups in Central-Eastern Europe. SHP helps early-stage startups (pre-seed to early Series A) develop their technology, build teams, protect IP, and access funding, grants, and relevant programmes in Poland. The organization connects startups with investors, corporations, and a global network, providing equity-free support through various acceleration and incubation formats. SHP's mission is to build a regional innovation hub, create high-tech brands, and promote Poland as an innovative destination for global commerce.

Learn more about StartUp Hub Poland on their webpage.

Romania - Impact Hub Bucharest

Impact Hub Bucharest is a leading organization supporting entrepreneurial initiatives with positive social impact in Romania. Since 2012, it has been part of the global Impact Hub network and provides coworking spaces, growth and incubation programs, events, and a crowdfunding platform. With over 5500 events hosted, 3000+ members, and more than 1000 startups supported, Impact Hub Bucharest fosters innovation and partnerships across sectors. The organization has facilitated over 5.5 million euros in funding and created valuable resources like the Startarium platform. As a key player in the local ecosystem, it represents EIT Food in Romania and partners with over 200 stakeholders, strengthening the agri-food and entrepreneurial communities.

Learn more about Impact Hub Bucharest on their webpage.

Serbia - Women's Entrepreneurship Academy

The Women’s Entrepreneurship Academy, founded in 2006 in Novi Sad, supports women entrepreneurs from rural and semi-urban areas of Serbia. It has trained over 3,200 women and organized workshops, mentoring programmes, and provided access to interest-free loans for female startups. The Academy launched a business incubator and accelerator for women, earning recognition as a Centre of Excellence for Women’s Entrepreneurship. It also produces research on topics like women’s entrepreneurship and gender budgeting. Since 2019, with support from the U.S. Embassy, it has expanded its services, training over 90 women and 24 startup teams. In 2022, it signed an agreement to offer interest-free loans to women entrepreneurs in Vojvodina.

Learn more about Women's Entrepreneurship Academy on their webpage.

Slovenia - Centre of Business Excellence of the Faculty of Economics at the University of Ljubljana

The Centre of Business Excellence (CBE) at the University of Ljubljana's School of Economics and Business offers top-tier business education and networking opportunities. With over a decade of experience, CBE combines academic expertise with practical insights from industry professionals. It provides a range of programmes, from short online workshops to longer academies, including the prestigious LJUBLJANA MBA. As part of the triple-accredited SEB LU, ranked among the top 1% of business schools globally, CBE aims to foster long-term growth and development for both individuals and businesses, adapting to dynamic trends and changes in the business environment.

Learn more about The Centre of Business Excellence (CBE) on their webpage.

Ukraine - LLC "Corporate Accelerators" (Radar Tech)

Radar Tech, established in 2016 as Ukraine's first corporate accelerator, has led innovation programmes across diverse sectors including telecom, agriculture, fintech, energy, retail, metallurgy, healthcare, and logistics. With over 1000 applications and 250+ alumni, including 35% women, their programmes facilitate partnerships between startups and corporations. They organize diverse initiatives like acceleration programmes, hackathons, and workshops, engaging 50+ experts and 10+ mentors per program. With a strong network and marketing team, they've achieved a media reach of 10 million, all while bolstering the local startup ecosystem and reshaping corporate mindsets.

Learn more about LLC "Corporate Accelerators" (Radar Tech) on their webpage.