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Drive the future of Food

We’re looking for startups that leverage data and technology to make food production more efficient and environmentally friendly.

Food Agritech

Our business partners:

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Grow your Food & Agritech startup with StartSmart CEE Startup Acceleration Program

From precision-agriculture hardware and automation solutions to farm management software, technology is changing the way we produce food as we speak. 

 

Can you leverage it to produce more with less in a more environmentally-friendly, sustainable way? 

 

Join our Food & Agritech Startup Acceleration Program and help our corporate partners improve their food production processes. 

 

Work alongside established businesses on creating your Proof of Concept and turning your startup into a full-scale business.

 

Apply today and get the mentoring, resources, connections, and know-how you need to successfully scale your innovation.

Apply now

Why join our Food & Agritech Acceleration Program?

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Leverage R&D Resources & Opportunities

Get access to our corporate partners’ data and R&D resources. Polish your innovation and adjust it to the exact requirements of your future customers.

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Get Feedback from Industry Experts

Network with experts with years of experience in your industry. Leverage their feedback and know-how to build an even better final product.

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Find Your First Customers

Go straight to working with an established business. Get to know their needs, optimize your product, and let them help you commercialize your idea. 

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Keep 100% of Your Startup’s Equity

Get access to all the perks of a Startup Accelerator and grow your business while keeping 100% ownership over your startup.

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Build Credibility in Your Industry

Leverage our Agritech Acceleration Program to give your startup’s brand a credibility boost. Build trust and grow a network of potential partners and investors in your industry.

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Get Business Advice

Not all tech founders need to be experts in doing business – but, that’s what a startup accelerator is for. Meet business professionals and get the legal, marketing, and business advice you need to succeed.

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Get up to €90,000 Non-Equity Grant

Receive funding for testing and technology development, in partnership with our corporate sponsors. *This grant is available for a limited number of startups meeting the formal requirements.

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Join an Exclusive Alumni Club

Get invited to an exclusive startup ecosystem. Network with fellow tech founders. Exchange experiences, ideas, and know-how. Leverage unique offers and get invited to alumni-only events.

Our Corporate Partner

Maspex

Maspex is the biggest private food company in Poland and one of the largest in Central and Eastern Europe. It was established over 30 years ago and produces a wide range of products, including drinks, food, and spirits, which are available in 70 countries around the world. The company has a portfolio of 70 brands and offers over 4000 products made in 18 modern production plants located in Poland and abroad. These plants have over 160 production lines and annually produce more than 2.2 billion liters of juices, nectars, and beverages, 280,000 tonnes of pasta, cereal, and instant products, 180,000 tonnes of jams and preserves, and 155 million liters of alcohol. The company focuses on organic growth and acquisitions, having conducted 21 acquisitions to date, including 12 foreign companies. In 2023, Maspex generated sales revenues of 4 billion EUR.

Intelligent/Functional Food: How to enhance the nutritional value of products, extend their freshness, and introduce interactive elements to consumer experiences (plant-based alternatives to animal products, healthy snacks for the mass consumer).
Innovative Food Ingredients: How to offer unique health properties, increasing the nutritional value of products, or introducing completely new flavors and textures, while maintaining the principles of sustainable development and ethics (natural, stable colors such as blue, green; functional and active ingredients that withstand pasteurization, sugar substitutes, ingredients that enhance the sensation of fullness).
Production Technologies: How to introduce innovations in automation, food safety, or sustainable development (e.g., new methods of food preservation, methods of carbonating beverages, sugar reduction techniques, utilization of plant waste).
Technologies Supporting Our Suppliers - Farmers: How to improve crop yields and enhance the efficiency and productivity of agricultural practices, helping our suppliers adapt to modern agricultural demands and environmental challenges.

Piątnica

Piątnica is a dairy cooperative situated in north-eastern Poland. With revenues surpassing €500 million, it ranks as Poland’s third-largest dairy manufacturer. Its product portfolio encompasses over 150 packaged consumer products, including cottage cheese, cream, yoghurts, quark, and fresh milk, all branded as Piątnica domestically, and as Piątnica or Dairly in international markets. The cooperative holds leading market positions in multiple product categories and is regularly purchased by over 90% of domestic households.

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to leverage emerging technologies to produce dairy products that are resistant to light exposure? The goal is to maintain the quality and nutritional value of dairy products by preventing degradation caused by light, which requires innovative packaging solutions.
How to drive innovation in the development of dairy products and their plant-based alternatives? The goal is to enhance product quality, nutritional value, and sustainability through the adoption of cutting-edge and eco-friendly technologies and practices.
How to replace traditional packaging methods with HDPE and other innovative labeling techniques? The goal is to enhance packaging efficiency, sustainability, and product identification while reducing the environmental impact.
How to utilize advanced shaping and packaging technologies for quark (curd cheese)? The objective is to innovate the production and packaging process, allowing for versatile shapes and improved product presentation.
How to efficiently monitor the performance of cooling tanks in dairy farms? The goal is to maintain optimal conditions of stored milk, detect any interference, and prevent disconnections, ensuring the quality and safety of stored milk with advanced monitoring tools and real-time data analytics.
How to utilize adaptive optimization solutions for the technical aspects of production processes, primarily based on sensor readings from production lines? The goal is to improve production efficiency through equipment setting adjustments, anomaly alerts, risk of failure alerts, and simulations of alternative production plans to optimize margins.

Who should apply?

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You’re Developing an Innovative Idea

We’re looking for tech founders working on unique, innovative ideas that can have a big impact on the Food & Agritech industry.

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Your Idea Addresses Our Partner’s Problems

To get invited, your innovation needs to have the potential to solve one of our corporate partner’s key business challenges.

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You’re Already Testing Your Idea

To succeed in our accelerator, you need to be beyond the conceptualization phase. Ideally, you already have a prototype or your innovation has market traction.

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You Want to Commercialize

If your cooperation with the corporate partner is successful, you should be open to signing a commercialization agreement.

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Recruitment is closed!

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    Use Technology to Revolutionize Agriculture

    Food production has a massive impact on our environment and society.

     

    By improving the way we grow and produce food, companies help change the world around us.

     

    At StartSmart CEE, we work with Food & Agritech startups that can make food production more efficient and environmentally friendly.

     

    If you believe your idea can help businesses save energy and water or reduce the use of fertilizers – we’re looking for you!

     

    Start the application process today. Get to know us, find an established partner in your industry, and let’s scale your innovation together!

    Apply Now

    Application Guide

    Don’t miss the deadline! Download our application guide and find out everything you need to know to apply.

     

    Learn about key dates, required documents, and get ready to submit your application.

    Download Application Guide Download

    Rules & Regulations

    Review the rules & regulations of our Agritech Startup Accelerator Program. 

     

    Find out whether you meet the formal requirements and are eligible to apply and participate. 

    Check the Regulations Document Check out

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    Apply Today and Become our Next Success Story

    In the past several years, we’ve helped over 300+ startups reach their goals and grow. 

     

    Apply today, leverage our expertise, and scale your innovation.



    Apply now