Open call for FOODITY Programme to create Sustainable Food Systems

FOODITY is running a 1M€ pilot development programme for creating 6 data-driven solutions to drive innovation in food and nutrition while putting the power of personal data use back into the hands of citizens.

The selected FOODITY innovators will learn how to properly use this data architecture through training and mentoring, as well as deepen their understanding of the ethics of data management, among other technical topics.

The training will also cover citizen participation methods, as pilots must involve end-users from start to finish. Mentoring support, especially in the second phase, will focus on business matters, from innovation strategy to product development. In addition, pilots can request support in specific areas to ensure TRL advancement.

Phases of the FOODITY Programme

They will develop the pilot development programme in three phases. The first one will focus on implementing the pilot projects. The second one on maximising their impact. The programme will end with an award ceremony where the winning pilot projects will benefit from an additional €7,500.

• Phase 01
  • Open Call: Pilot Development
  • 9 months 6 teams
  • €150,000/team
  • Access to the FOODITY capacity building programme
• Phase 02
  • Mid-Term Pitch Contest: Impact Maximisation
  • 3 months 3 teams
  • €30,000/team
  • Pilot testing and validation + Business sustainability
• Phase 03
  • Final Pitch Contest: FOODITY Star Award
  • 1 team
  • €7,500 award
  • A jury will select and award the two best pilot projects in a live event

What’s in it for you?

The programme beneficiaries — the FOODITY innovators — will receive a wide range of value-added services:

• Financial Support
  • Up to 187.500€ per beneficiary.
• Access to Technology
  • and technical support to develop their solutions.
• Expert Mentoring
  • Advice on business development: from marketing and sales to financing, innovation strategy or sustainability.
• Group Coaching
  • Including mutual exchange between the open call beneficiaries.
• Technical Training
  • Training on relevant technical, business, and legal issues.

Who are they looking for?

• To arrive at tangible and impactful solutions, the teams that develop them must be diverse. That is why they are looking for organisations with both technical and social innovation expertise, as well as citizen engagement knowledge.
• Applicants can submit proposals led by an SME/startup and partner with other 2 or 3 entities that are a mix of for-profit and non-profit organisations.
  • Small or Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) and startups
    • developing solutions for data-driven innovation in personalised nutrition, sustainable food systems and shopping experiences.
  • Social innovation actors (SIAs)
    • providing new practices aiming at citizen empowerment and proposing concrete actions for data sovereignty, as well as associations representing consumers’ interest in health and nutrition.
  • Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs) and universities
    • working on advancing the state-of-the-art and addressing the challenges around data-driven innovation for health and nutrition, as well as mechanisms to preserve citizens’ sovereignty over their personal data in health and nutrition solutions.
  • Training organisations
    • oriented to the food industry, such as culinary or nutrition schools, and interested in teaching and experimenting with the power of data for innovation and competitiveness in food production and diet planning.

Language

• English is the official language for the FOODITY open calls. Submissions done in any language other than English will not be eligible or evaluated. English is the only official language during the whole implementation of the FOODITY programme. This means that any requested submission of documentation and deliverables will be done in English to be eligible.

Eligible Countries

• Single legal entities established in any of the following countries are eligible to participate in the FOODITY – Open Call #1:
  • The Member States (MS) of the European Union (EU), including their outermost regions.
  • Oversea Countries and Territories (OCTs) linked to Member States.
  • Horizon Europe.

Eligibility Criteria

• FOODITY invites multidisciplinary consortia of 2-3 entities to submit proposals for data-driven solutions that demonstrate the potential of data-driven innovation in food and nutrition while guaranteeing the user’s full control and ownership over their personal data.
• Eligible consortia must be a multidisciplinary consortium of 2-3 entities, led by an SME (who will act as the consortium Coordinator). The 2nd and 3rd partner (if applicable) must be an SME (including start-ups), RTO, SIA or a training organisation, that must collectively show capacity for user engagement and social innovation. This will enable multiple third parties to be funded in parallel contributing to the key area of digital transformation and data driven innovation, using short research cycles targeting the most promising ideas.
  • In the case of 2 partners, a second SME (or start-up) can participate if their main area of activity is social innovation and/or citizen engagement.
  • In the case of 3 partners, a second partner may be an SME (or start-up), but must mandatorily also include an RTO, a SIA or a training organisation (three SMEs are not eligible).
• Note: All entities of the consortia must be registered with a verifiable VAT (which will be requested as part of the individual Declaration of Honour). Unincorporated startups are not eligible, even if the Coordinating entity on a given application is registered.

For more information, visit FOODITY.