September 25th, 2026 Dear BGI Community, 🚀 We’re closing September with strong momentum across the BGI ecosystem. From novel food and AgriFoodTech to urban mobility, sustainable agriculture and water innovation, this edition brings opportunities to apply, collaborate, connect and learn from the entrepreneurs and innovators driving change across Europe. And a quick reminder for our alumni: today is the last day to share your experience through the Europe’s Leading Start-up Hubs 2027 survey. Your feedback can help showcase the impact of BGI’s programmes and our community of entrepreneurs. Scroll down to explore what’s happening across our ecosystem and find your next opportunity to get involved. The BGI Team |
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BGI Sustainable Ventures is participating in Europe’s Leading Startup Hubs 2027, an initiative by Statista, in partnership with the Financial Times and Sifted, recognising leading startup hubs across Europe. If you have participated in a BGI programme, we invite you to share your experience by completing this short questionnaire. Your feedback will help showcase the impact of BGI’s programmes and our support for entrepreneurs and startups across Europe. Take the questionnaire and share your BGI experience. Deadline: 25 September 2026. |
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🚃 Mobility Matchmaking 2026 The Mobility Matchmaking 2026, organised by BGI with the support of EIT Urban Mobility and TML (Transportes Metropolitanos de Lisboa), connects startups, SMEs and R&D centres with municipalities, transport operators and fleet managers to address real urban mobility challenges. Taking place on 19 October in Lisbon, the event combines solution pitches, real-world challenges and 1-to-1 matchmaking meetings to turn innovative technologies into potential partnerships, pilots and adoption opportunities. Participation is free, subject to registration validation and availability of places. |
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For Startups, SMEs & R&D Centres |
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| For Municipalities, Operators & Fleet Managers |
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Turn your Challenge into Innovation: Join our Program |
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The Open Innovation & Challenge-Based Program, part of the AgriFood4Future Erasmus+ project, connects agrifood SMEs and corporates with startups to co-develop pilot-ready feasibility study solutions addressing real industry challenges. AgriFood4Future brings together a pan-European network of education providers, research organisations and industry actors to accelerate the green and digital transition of the agrifood sector by strengthening skills, fostering innovation and supporting more sustainable and resilient food systems. |
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Programme Timeline and Application Timeline |
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The programme will take place between October and December 2026, following the challenge submission phase and the selection of startup partners. The deadline for applications is 30 September 2026. |
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Highlights from the BGI team 🎖️BioCor wins the Portuguese national stage of the Wavemaker |
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BioCor, a solution developed by BGI - Sustainable Ventures, has won the Portuguese national stage of the Wavemaker, EIT Water’s business creation competition, and will represent Portugal at the European final in Málaga on 15 October. Based on microalgae, BioCor helps increase nutrient uptake in agriculture, reducing nitrogen and phosphorus runoff into water bodies while supporting more productive and regenerative farming. Field trials have shown that the solution can reduce synthetic fertiliser use by up to 50% while maintaining productivity, with validation carried out by BGI and Food4Sustainability CoLAB (F4S), and R&D supported by AmpliAqua. |
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Highlights from the BGI Ecosystem 🚋Innov4Mobility Summer School 2026 has come to an end! |
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This month, 38 participants from 13 nationalities came together for five days of learning, collaboration and innovation around the future of urban mobility. Through expert sessions, mentoring and hands-on collaboration, participants explored real-world mobility challenges, developed innovative solutions and strengthened their projects towards real-world impact. We thank all the participants, speakers, mentors and partners who made this edition possible. |
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🌱FIT4CEA is moving from launch to action! 3 months after its kick-off, research is now underway across four Living Labs in the Netherlands, Greece, Spain and Italy. With 22 partners across 12 countries, the project is testing innovative solutions to make Controlled Environment Agriculture more climate-resilient, resource-efficient and sustainable. From AI-driven autonomous greenhouses and smarter water and nutrient management to passive climate control and novel crops for indoor and urban growing. |
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| 🏆Commuto and Nexus Point win the Urban Mobility Startup Creation Program 2026 The Urban Mobility Startup Creation Program has come to an end after months of learning, mentoring and venture building. We are proud to congratulate Commuto (Portugal) and Nexus Points (Türkiye), who were selected as the two winning teams and each received a €5,000 prize. A big thank you also goes to all the other participants for their commitment, ideas and contribution to the programme, and to the mentors and experts who supported them throughout this journey. |
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Opportunities & Open Calls |
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📢 2026 FoodTech 500Deadline: 25 November 2026Applications for the 2026 FoodTech 500 are open, inviting AgriFoodTech startups and scale-ups to apply for the global ranking recognising the companies shaping the future of sustainable food systems. Contact Us! |
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| 📢 Future HarvestDeadline: 30 September 2026Future Harvest is helping young and aspiring farmers build resilient, regenerative and profitable farms through training, entrepreneurship, digital skills and access to networks. Contact Us! |
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📢 Agrifood Innovation CampDeadline: 5 October 2026Agrifood Innovation Camp is inviting Ukrainian agrifood startups to apply for a free 6-week hybrid training and mentoring programme focused on strengthening business models, investment strategies and partnerships. Contact Us! |
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| 📢 Call for expressions of interest in EFSA’s advice for Novel Food SMEsDeadline: 18 November 2026EFSA is inviting SMEs developing novel foods to express their interest in receiving tailored advice on the requirements for authorisation in the EU market, helping them navigate the application process. Contact Us! |
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🪴LILAS4SOILS is now on Instagram! Follow LILAS4SOILS for updates, project activities, scientific outputs and insights from our work on soil regeneration. 👉Follow us! |
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Follow us on social media 👇 |
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