Deadline Date: February 09, 2026
INCiTiS-FOOD has launched its second Open Call for Independent Innovators to support solutions addressing challenges identified by the project’s Living Labs.
INCiTiS-FOOD aims at revolutionizing African city region food systems by enhance food and nutrition security (FNS) across four core dimensions – availability, access, utilization, and stability through solutions centered around soilless crop farming, recirculating aquaculture systems, and insect farming, through co-creation of cutting-edge circular agri-food technologies, practices, and business models, creating an inclusive food system that is both sustainable and accessible, applying a Lean Start-up Methodology to launch innovative technologies, services, practices, and products, and fostering collaboration among all relevant stakeholders along the supply and value chain, including women and young adults, start-ups, and small and medium enterprises (SMEs). This Open Call is open to Independent Innovators, defined as start-up entrepreneurs and SMEs, residing in one of the eight cities and towns within the six INCiTiS-FOOD countries hosting a Living Lab. Each Living Lab location will select three winners, with a total of 24 Independent Innovators supported under this call.
Selected innovators are required to be located within the same cities and towns where INCiTiS-FOOD Living Labs operate and to carry out their activities over a four-month period, addressing the specific challenges identified by the Living Labs. Through this Open Call, INCiTiS-FOOD will provide a total of €60,000 in funding to support the selected innovators.
Eligible applicants include individuals, start-up entrepreneurs, and small and medium enterprises that are legally established and able to sign a sub-grantee agreement if selected. Applicants must meet all eligibility requirements, submit their proposal before the defined deadline following the requested submission procedure, and ensure that there is no risk of double funding. Each applicant may submit only one proposal under this Open Call.
The initiative builds on Living Labs across six countries and focuses on user-centric innovation in circular agri-food technologies, including hydroponics, aquaponics, recirculating aquaculture systems, and insect farming, tailored to the context of African cities.
For more information, visit Incitis-food.
