Call for paid test-beds in Test Farms is opened. The integration of technology and new methods of farming bring with them the opportunity to farm more sustainably, increase yields, improve nutrition and steward precious agricultural resources.

Test Farms programme has been created in response to research and conversations with many agricultural startups who cited the difficulties of finding farmlands, where they could test and validate their innovation and access new markets. The Programme also arose to help bring about the much-needed smart revolution we need in agriculture. The integration of technology and new methods of farming bring with them the opportunity to farm more sustainably, increase yields, improve nutrition and steward precious agricultural resources.

Through Test Farms we are eager to promote innovations among farmers giving them access to the latest solutions that will help their farms become more sustainable and profitable.

 They are looking for farmers and farms/companies dealing with primary food processing (“Test-beds”) who will give startups access to their fields or facility to test and validate their solutions in the following two regions:

• Eastern/Central Europe: (Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, Poland, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine) (”CEE”)
• Southern Europe (Spain, Turkey, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Cyprus) (“Southern Europe”).

Application deadline by February 10th 2023 (23:59 PM CET).

EIT Food may provide agricultural professionals to support testing process upon the request of the Test-bed or startup.

 EIT Food offers:

• 1500 € remuneration for the Test-bed referred for successful matchmaking and testing on types of crops and animals with startups
• 5000 € remuneration for the Test-bed for successful matchmaking and testing on primary food production facilities with startups.

The course of Test Farms programme:

December 2022-February 2023  - Test-bed recruitment

March-April 2023 - Startups recruitment. We plan to recruit 20 startups: 17 providing solutions for farmland and livestock growing, 3 for primary food production.

May-July 2023 - 2-3 online matchmaking events between startups and Test-bed.

August 2023-July 2024 - Piloting phase up to 1 year (depending on the type of the solution, this phase can last from one week to an entire season); - Demo days at the farm to showcase the results to local farmers, potential clients and investors.

The responsibilities of the engaged Test-beds will be to:

• Giving startups access to the test-bed.
• Inform startups as to the effectiveness of their solutions, advising them how they might improve them to meet the objectives of the innovation.
• Support EIT Food in the Programme’s communication and outreach: communicating the Programme to their network of farmers, and spreading the word about the potential of the solutions.
• Take part in the matchmaking phase of the Programme (usually May-July) with startups that have expressed an interest in testing on their farm or processing facilities.
• Report basic information about Test-bed (type of farm/primary food processing facility, size, country and region for presentation on Test Farms website
• Help in organizing demo day.

 You can find the application form and more details about the call at the following link.

Source: EIT Food