FoodSeed 2025: The third Call4Startups of the three-year programme kicks off for the future of AgriFoodTech in Italy
Following the great success of its first two editions, the third and final Call4Startup of FoodSeed, the FoodTech acceleration programme of CDP Venture Capital SGR’s National Network, is now officially open.
Since its inception, the project has benefited from the support of strategic partners, sponsors, and co-investors such as Fondazione Cariverona and UniCredit, as well as Eatable Adventures—one of the world’s leading FoodTech accelerators—acting as both co-investor and operational manager of the programme. Other key partners include Gruppo Amadori, Veronafiere, the Accelerate for Impact Platform by CGIAR, and the University of Verona.
Demonstrating the growing confidence in the programme, FoodSeed has, over the years, attracted new prominent stakeholders who have joined forces to expand its impact. These include Revo Insurance, a specialist non-life insurance company focusing on specialty lines and parametric risks; Enologica Vason, experts in biotechnology and processing aids for the wine and beverage industry; NOI Techpark, a technology innovation hub in South Tyrol; and Fondazione Bruno Kessler, a centre for scientific and technological research.
Launched in 2022 with a total budget of €15 million, the FoodSeed programme has already accelerated fourteen Italian startups, establishing itself as a benchmark in the Italian AgriFoodTech sector and fostering the growth of businesses capable of attracting both national and international investment. Among these, Foreverland—an Italian startup that invented Choruba, a sustainable carob-based alternative to chocolate—has already secured strategic funding to scale up its market presence.
The Italian FoodTech startup landscape is currently experiencing a phase of remarkable dynamism, with innovative ideas capturing market interest. However, the decline in investment in the agri-food sector over the past year threatens to slow down this momentum precisely at a time when innovation is more crucial than ever for businesses. This is why accelerating technology transfer and fostering an ecosystem where innovation, industry, and academic research can collaborate more effectively has never been more important.
Open Innovation as the Key to the Future
The third Call4Startup of FoodSeed aims precisely to strengthen the dialogue between emerging startups and traditional businesses by embracing the Open Innovation model. This approach enables new technologies to be embedded within Made in Italy enterprises, which often struggle to innovate from within. Once again this year, the accelerator seeks to select and support up to ten Italian startups that offer innovative solutions for the agri-food supply chain, with a focus on sustainability, ethics, and technology, reinforcing Italy’s position as a global leader in the sector.
From March onwards, FoodSeed will embark on a nationwide roadshow to engage with young Italian enterprises and present the programme. The first stop will be in Bolzano, followed by Verona, Milan, Bologna, Rome, and Bari.
“In an increasingly competitive market, innovation is essential for the future of Italian agri-food,” comments Alberto Barbari, Board Member of FoodSeed. “This is why, through FoodSeed, we are committed to creating the ideal conditions for valuable ideas to emerge and grow, thanks to a strong network of collaboration between institutions, businesses, and research centres. The previous editions have demonstrated that Open Innovation can generate tangible economic and social impacts. With this new Call4Startup, we aim to continue supporting outstanding ventures that aspire to transform the AgriFoodTech sector,” concludes Barbari.
