Foodvalley extends innovation budget for food SMEs

In the coming years, funding will remain available for innovation and scaling in agrifood. Foodvalley is extending the SME Innovation Voucher Program until June 2029. This is being done in collaboration with Regio Deal Foodvalley. The remaining budget amounts to approximately €1.3 million. The program focuses on accelerating innovation and scaling for SME companies.

Support is provided through access to shared pilot and demonstration facilities. This allows companies to test innovations and move them forward. At the same time, the program conditions are being adjusted. These changes are intended to better align with real-world innovation and scaling processes.

More flexibility through in-kind co-financing

A key change is the introduction of in-kind co-financing. SME companies may now cover up to 25 percent of the required co-financing with in-kind contributions. The maximum amount is €12,500. These contributions must meet predefined conditions. These include, among other things, the origin and eligibility of the costs.

According to Foodvalley, this adjustment lowers the financial threshold for participation. Transparency and accountability remain core principles.

Multiple vouchers per innovation trajectory

The updated program takes phased innovation into account. Companies can divide larger projects across multiple vouchers. A maximum of €100,000 applies per SME company. The number of applications is limited to four.

“With these adjustments, we are making the SME Innovation Voucher more accessible and better aligned with how innovation and scaling work in practice,” says Jochem Groothuismink of Foodvalley. “By allowing in-kind contributions and multiple vouchers, we are lowering financial barriers without compromising the quality of the program.”

Part of Regio Deal Foodvalley

The SME Innovation Voucher Program is part of Regio Deal Foodvalley I. It is one of the funds available to accelerate the transition to a sustainable and healthy food system. With the extension until 2029 and the revised conditions, Foodvalley and Regio Deal Foodvalley aim to strengthen the agrifood innovation ecosystem.

Foodvalley is an independent non-profit organization. The organization works with more than 500 partners. Within thematic communities focused on areas such as protein transition, healthier eating, and circular agrifood, initiatives are developed to identify and remove barriers to innovation.