Do you have a game-changing agritech idea but struggling to scale? You’re not alone. Funding gaps, limited market access, and regulatory roadblocks stop many startups before they even take off. But the right incubator or accelerator can change everything.
Imagine getting seed funding, expert mentorship, and direct access to investors who actually understand and are willing to support your agritech solutions. In 2025, startup ecosystems worldwide are doubling down on food security, climate-smart agriculture, and sustainable farming. That means more opportunities than ever, if you know where to look.
This guide breaks down the best incubators and accelerators by region in Africa, Europe and the United States, so you can find the perfect launchpad for your agritech startup.
Agritech Incubators and Accelerators Across The Globe
If you want to gauge a region’s entrepreneurial growth in any sector, look at the strength of its accelerators. Bold ideas and big visions are just the starting point, turning them into thriving businesses requires solid backing, from funding to market connections. If you’re an agripreneur, here are some incubators and accelerators worth exploring.
Africa
Image source: The Baobab Network
The Baobab Network
The Baobab Network is a Pan-African accelerator focused on supporting early-stage tech startups, including those in the agritech sector. It offers a comprehensive package that includes a $50,000 seed investment, which serves as crucial early-stage capital to kickstart business growth. However, recent updates suggest that the funding can also reach up to $100,000, depending on the program specifics. The accelerator program is designed to provide hands-on support, including bespoke acceleration tailored to each startup’s needs. This support is complemented by access to a powerful global network of experts, mentors, corporate partners, and investors. This network is particularly valuable for founders seeking to scale their businesses quickly and expand their reach globally.
Download the Ebook nowÂ
GreenTec Capital
Based in Germany, GreenTec Capital is an investment firm that focuses on supporting sustainable and impact-driven startups in Africa, including those in the agritech sector. They operate in Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa and Uganda. Unlike traditional accelerators, GreenTec offers revenue-based investment and long-term strategic support. This approach allows startups to receive funding without diluting equity, which is beneficial for companies that want to maintain control while still accessing necessary capital. GreenTec’s model involves “work for equity” deals, which means they provide operational support in exchange for equity, fostering sustainable success without straining the cash positions of their portfolio companies.
AECF Agribusiness Challenge Fund
The AECF Agribusiness Challenge Fund operates primarily in Sub-Saharan Africa, focusing on agribusiness, climate resilience, and food security. It provides grants and concessional loans ranging from $100,000 to $1.5 million to growth-stage agritech businesses. The fund is designed for businesses that are ready to scale their impact and have demonstrated commercial viability and innovation potential.
iHub Nairobi
iHub Nairobi is a prominent innovation hub in Kenya, established in 2010. It serves as a central platform for entrepreneurs, developers, and startups to collaborate, innovate, and grow. iHub offers a range of services, including incubation, mentorship, networking opportunities, and access to funding. The hub is known for its vibrant community of over 15,000 members and its role in catalysing the growth of Kenya’s tech ecosystem.
While iHub is not exclusively focused on agritech, its broad support for tech startups can indirectly benefit agritech companies by providing them with essential resources and connections. iHub’s extensive network, which spans over 40 countries, helps startups find international partners and investors, which is crucial for scaling their businesses.
AYuTe Africa Challenge
The AYuTe Africa Challenge, organized by Heifer International, is one of Africa’s most ambitious initiatives aimed at empowering youth-led agritech businesses. This annual competition awards up to $1.5 million in grants to promising young innovators who are leveraging technology to transform farming and food production across the continent. Beyond financial support, winners benefit from expert mentorship and strategic partnerships that help scale their solutions and amplify their impact on smallholder farmers. The challenge focuses on addressing critical issues such as access to finance, technical expertise, and market opportunities for farmers.
Recent winners include DigiCow (Kenya), ThriveAgric (Nigeria), and Brastorne Enterprises (Botswana), each of which has developed groundbreaking solutions tailored to the needs of smallholder farmers
African Agribusiness Incubation Network (AAIN)
The African Agribusiness Incubation Network (AAIN) is a private sector initiative dedicated to strengthening agribusiness incubation capacity and commercializing agricultural technologies across Africa. Established in 2014 and headquartered in Accra, Ghana, AAIN operates in 54 African countries, providing technical support for agribusiness development through mentorship, incubation programs, and partnerships with universities, governments, financial institutions, and research organizations. Its core focus includes human capacity development in incubation, youth and women engagement in agribusiness trade, technology commercialization, and managing the African Agribusiness Incubation Fund (AAIF).
Katapult Africa Accelerator
The Katapult Africa Accelerator, launched in 2020 by the Norwegian investment company Katapult, is a transformative program aimed at supporting agritech, foodtech, and climate tech startups across Africa. With offices in Mauritius and Rwanda, the accelerator focuses on identifying impactful startups that can revolutionize Africa’s food and agricultural value chains. Startups selected for the program receive investments ranging from $150,000 to $400,000 and gain access to Katapult’s global network of impact investors, mentors, and partner organizations. The program emphasizes growth, scalability, and investor readiness through rigorous workshops, pitch training, and mentorship sessions.
Katapult Africa collaborates with prominent institutions such as the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, Norrsken, NORAD, and Smart Africa to amplify its reach and impact. To qualify for participation, startups must specialize in agricultural or food technology, have an established corporate structure, operate for at least two years, and generate a minimum annual revenue of $10,000.
EUROPE
Image credit: EIT Food Accelerator Network
EIT Food Accelerator Network
The EIT Food Accelerator Network is a comprehensive program designed to support impactful agrifoodtech startups across Europe. It helps these startups transition from early-stage companies to investment and market-ready businesses. The program offers privileged access to the world’s largest and most dynamic food innovation community, cutting-edge facilities, and equipment across Europe. Participating startups can receive grants exceeding €600,000 to validate their technologies and gain additional financing routes through the EIT Food Investor Community and the EIT Food Startup Impact Fund. The program is structured into three main tracks: ACCELERATE for early-stage startups, SCALE for impact-driven scaleups, and LAUNCH for entrepreneurs and researchers seeking market validation
Rockstart AgriFood
Rockstart AgriFood is a leading accelerator and venture capital firm based in the Netherlands, with a strong presence across Europe. It focuses on early-stage AgriFood tech startups, providing them with funding and support to grow their businesses. Rockstart has raised significant capital, including a €50 million Agrifood Fund II, dedicated to backing sustainable startups that improve food supply systems through emerging technologies and innovative business models.
Brinc AgriFood Accelerator
Brinc generally supports technology-based startups in various sectors, including agrifood, by providing tailored accelerator programs with mentorship and funding ranging from $100,000 to $500,000. Brinc’s global reach and diverse portfolio suggest that any agrifood-focused initiatives would likely follow similar principles, emphasizing innovation and scalability.
Agro Innovation Lab
The Agro Innovation Lab is based in Austria and Germany, focusing on supporting startups and innovation in agriculture. While specific details about its accelerator programs are not provided in the search results, such labs typically offer resources like funding, mentorship, and networking opportunities to help agritech startups develop and commercialise their products. These initiatives often collaborate with local universities, research institutions, and industry partners to foster innovation and entrepreneurship in the agrifood sector.
FoodBytes by Rabobank
FoodBytes by Rabobank is a global platform that connects startups, corporates, and investors in the food and agriculture sector. It operates in the UK, Netherlands, and across Europe, providing a stage for innovative agrifood startups to pitch their ideas and connect with potential partners and investors. FoodBytes! focuses on sustainable food systems, supporting companies that address challenges like food waste, sustainable production, and digitalisation in agriculture.
The platform offers mentorship, networking opportunities, and access to Rabobank’s extensive network of food and agriculture experts. While not a traditional accelerator, FoodBytes! plays a crucial role in facilitating collaboration and investment in the agrifood sector, helping startups scale their impact and reach new markets.
1Kubator (France)
1Kubator is one of France’s leading innovation networks, offering a comprehensive 3-month incubation program for startups across various sectors, including foodtech, retail, digital technologies, and deep tech. Founded in 2016 by Alexandre Fourtoy, the network operates in nine major French cities such as Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux, Toulouse, and Nantes. It provides startups with access to €25,000 in seed funding alongside tailored mentorship and business training.
The program emphasizes practical support for early-stage companies by helping them build their minimum viable product (MVP), refine their business strategies, and prepare for scaling.
Food Works (Ireland)
Food Works is Ireland’s premier accelerator program dedicated exclusively to foodtech startups. Established in 2012 as a collaborative effort between Bord Bia, Enterprise Ireland, and Teagasc, it aims to support high-potential food and drink businesses that demonstrate scalability and export readiness. The program spans 10 months and provides participants with up to €35,000 in feasibility grant funding through Enterprise Ireland. Since its inception, Food Works has helped over 100 companies scale their operations domestically and internationally.
The accelerator offers workshops led by national and international industry experts across disciplines such as strategy development, finance management, product innovation, marketing, and export planning.
EIT Food Accelerator Network
The EIT Food Accelerator Network is a pan-European program designed to accelerate the growth of impactful agrifoodtech startups. This 2-3 month theme-based initiative operates through six unique innovation hubs located in Helsinki, Haifa, Warsaw, Paris, Munich, and Bilbao. Each hub focuses on a specific theme, such as circular solutions for food systems, food as medicine, future-resilient agriculture, new ingredients and bioprocessing, resilient supply chains, and sustainable food packaging14.
Startups participating in the program benefit from access to up to €50,000 in funding, which is awarded through a Simple Agreement For Future Equity (SAFE) instrument. They also gain access to EIT Food’s extensive network of research facilities and corporate partners across Europe.
The United States
Image credit:AgSharks 2018 competition
Thrive by SVG Ventures
Thrive by SVG Ventures is a leading agrifood innovation platform that supports startups through its accelerator program, venture fund, and corporate innovation services. Thrive focuses on early-stage companies that are transforming the food and agriculture sectors through technology and innovation.
IndieBio (San Francisco, USA)
IndieBio is a leading biotech accelerator based in San Francisco, with a focus on early-stage companies developing innovative biotechnology solutions. While not exclusively focused on agrifood, IndieBio supports startups working on sustainable food systems, alternative proteins, and other related biotech innovations. IndieBio provides $250,000 in funding to each startup, along with intensive mentorship and access to state-of-the-art biotech facilities.
Techstars (Minnesota, USA)
The Techstars Farm to Fork Accelerator is a program co-funded by Ecolab and Cargill in partnership with Techstars. It is based in the Twin Cities, Minnesota, and focuses on startups innovating across the entire food value chain, including food safety, supply chains, farm productivity, and waste management. Startups receive funding and participate in a 13-week mentorship-driven program with experts from Ecolab, Cargill, and Techstars.
Western Growers AgSharks (California, USA)
Western Growers AgSharks is a competition and networking event that brings together startups and investors in the agriculture sector. It is part of Western Growers’ efforts to foster innovation and entrepreneurship in agriculture, particularly in areas like precision agriculture, water management, and farm automation. Startups participate in pitch competitions, gaining exposure to potential investors and partners in the agriculture sector. Winners of the competition receive funding and support to further develop their innovations.
Food Future Co (NYC, New York)
Food Future Co (FFC) is a scale-up accelerator based in New York City, designed to support mission-driven companies in food tech, agritech, and social entrepreneurship. Unlike traditional accelerators that focus on early-stage startups, FFC targets companies that have already achieved market traction and are generating annual revenues of at least $500,000. The program is tailored for businesses poised to cross the challenging “scary chasm” between startup and mainstream adoption. Each cohort includes 4-6 companies selected for their potential to scale rapidly while maintaining a strong focus on sustainability and social impact.
The program spans 4-6 months and provides participants with $20,000 in funding in exchange for 6% equity. In addition to the financial investment, FFC offers extensive in-kind support valued at over $100,000.
AgTech Accelerator (Research Triangle Park, North Carolina)
The AgTech Accelerator is a specialized incubator based in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, dedicated to fostering entrepreneurship in agriculture. It supports early-stage agritech startups by providing funding, mentorship, and access to a syndicate of prominent investors such as ARCH Venture Partners, Flagship Ventures, Hatteras Venture Partners, Bayer CropScience, and Syngenta Ventures. This collaborative approach ensures that startups receive both financial backing and strategic guidance from industry leaders.
The incubator focuses on identifying transformative agricultural technologies that address critical challenges such as crop productivity, resource efficiency, and sustainability. Startups benefit from tailored support that includes business development resources, access to state-of-the-art research facilities, and connections with leading agricultural companies.
Conclusion
Agritech accelerators and incubators are springboards propelling startups to success. They provide the funding, mentorship, and industry connections that help innovators turn ideas into scalable solutions. Yet, despite agriculture being the backbone of human survival, agritech remains one of the most underserved sectors in the startup ecosystem. To change this narrative, we need more programs supporting climate-smart agriculture, AI-driven farm management, and precision farming.
