Hungry EcoCities announces 10 Agri-Food SMEs as winners

These visionary companies, representing actors from throughout the food value chain, will collaborate with artists and the Hungry EcoCities consortium on developing (AI-enabled) prototypes aimed at making our food chain more transparent, inclusive, and sustainable. "Transforming the European food system happens on the grounds, in the regions of Europe, by small food companies," says Rodolfo Groenewoud van Vliet, Project Lead of Hungry EcoCities. "Although often overlooked or difficult to reach, I am proud that so many of them found their way to our program. Now we have a chance, through multidisciplinary work, to take a step forward towards a better food system, for real."

About Hungry EcoCities

Hungry EcoCities is a European-funded project that aims to redefine the future of food production and consumption. By bringing together artists, technology experts, and food industry innovators, the project tackles the dual challenges of rapid urbanization and climate change. The project's key goals are to:

1. Make the food chain more transparent, inclusive, and sustainable

2. Build connections between different stakeholders in the food chain

3. Promote more informed and sustainable consumption patterns

4. Leverage the power of art and AI to address pressing issues in our global food system

The Winners

The selected SMEs represent a diverse cross-section of the agri-food sector, including:

1. AXIA SEEDS (Netherlands): Pioneering vegetable seed breeding

2. BEESAGE (Netherlands): Empowering data-driven beekeeping

3. CAPANNA PROSCIUTTI (Italy): Preserving traditional Italian ham-making

4. INSTAGREEN (Spain): Revolutionizing urban farming with hydroponic systems

5. LE TERRE DI ZOÈ (Italy): Blending organic farming with multifunctional approaches

6. LOGIQS (Netherlands): Developing advanced mobile growing systems

7. PROTIBERIA (Spain): Converting organic waste into agri-food ingredients

8. SENSESBIT (Spain): Analyzing consumer perception with AI-powered technology

9. SPROUT DYNAMICS (Denmark/ Bulgaria): Innovating industrial sprouting technology

10. STARAMAKI (Greece): Transforming agricultural waste into biodegradable straws

What the Winners Receive

Each winning SME will receive up to €45,000 in funding, along with a comprehensive 14-month support programme to develop and test their innovative solutions. They will have access to scientific expertise from the Hungry EcoCitiesscientist group, collaborate with artists for creative experimentation and prototyping, and benefit from project’s earlier developed tools and a network of knowledge hubs.
Anca Marin, Open Call Coordinator, shared her enthusiasm: "We're excited to work with these innovative SMEs. Their enthusiasm and dedication will drive meaningful change in the agri-food sector. By blending art and cutting-edge technology with traditional practices, we're opening new paths to a more sustainable food future."

What's Next
The selected SMEs will be paired with artists and the Hungry EcoCities consortium to form dynamic teams. Together, they will tackle real-world challenges in the food industry, creating prototypes that could reshape how we produce, distribute, and consume food.

This project is developed as part of the Hungry EcoCities S+T+ARTS Residency which has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement 101069990.

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