EMPOWERING
ENTREPRENEURS TO
BUILD A FUTURE THAT'S
NOT ONLY SUSTAINABLE
BUT ALSO DELICIOUS

APPLY NOW

IN COLLABORATION WITH
EIT Food EU Logo

OUR MISSION

TO EMPOWER ENTREPRENEURS TO
TRANSFORM "WASTE" INTO VALUE.

THROUGH INNOVATION AND DETERMINATION, WE AIM TO HELP FOUNDERS CREATE OVER 1M+ HEALTHY & NUTRITIOUS SERVINGS TO CONSUMERS PER YEAR BY 2027 FROM VALORISED SIDE STREAMS AND REPURPOSING BY-PRODUCTS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE GO TO WASTE.

PROGRAM

Our hands-on approach and tailored expertise ensures that startups in the field receive the targeted guidance and connections they need to succeed. The program will support through two key pillars:

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

Creating, testing and showcasing of new products utilizing side streams, from MVP to commercialization ready.

GO-TO-MARKET

Connecting with the right market access partners, expert support on efficient commercialization, supply chain, marketing, packaging, and more.

WASTE 2 PLATE COMMUNITY
EVENT & KICK-OFF

Connect with our community of
founders, experts and partners
through various activities
including pitching, matchmaking
& networking

PRODUCTISATION PHASE

CRAFTING WINNING
VALUE PROPOSITION

Define the unique value your
product brings to the market, in a
way that resonates with
customers and stakeholders.

PRODUCTISATION PHASE

TECHNICAL FEASABILITY,
SCALE & COMPLIANCE

Assess the technical aspects of
your product to ensure it can scale
effetively while meeting necessary
regulatory and compliance
standards.

PRODUCTISATION PHASE

REFORMULATION FOR
NUTRITION & IMPACT

Optimise your product's
formulation to maximise its
nutritional value and
environmental impact without
compromising on quality.

PRODUCTISATION PHASE

NEXT COHORTS

FIRST COHORT
MAR 2025 - AUG 2025
SECOND COHORT
SEP 2025 - FEB 2026
THIRD COHORT
MAR 2026 - AUG 2026

APPLICATIONS ONGOING FOR NEXT COHORTS

Participation in the program bears no upfront costs, a participation commitment contract is included as part of this initiative. If applicable, separate agreements between the startup, consortium and EIT Food will be made.

Time & Commitment required

Available to attend an in person kick-off event in March 2026 in the Hague
Available to dedicate approximately 1-3hours/week for participation in the program. (Online)

Do you have any questions about the program? Reach out to Sami@kico.kitchen

APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN!

APPLY NOW

ARE YOU THE RIGHT FIT?

A Startup, Scale-up, or SME working on an innovative proposition?

Has your company been founded in or after 2015?

Established in an EU member State or Horizon Europe-associated country?

Working on developing ingredients or end-to-consumer products from valorised side-streams?

WHAT WILL YOU GAIN?

A CURATED PROGRAM
BUILT AROUND YOUR
SPECIFIC NEEDS

Curated support from our network of experts and industry partners

Based on your business’s specific needs: technical feasibility, product development, consumer testing, value chain engineering and branding.

UNIQUE INNOVATION
FACILITIES AND A
COMMUNITY OF PEERS

KiCo’s state-of-the-art development and production facilities within the Hague’s innovation hub, Titaan

Top of the line equipment for testing and scaling up production

A community calendar filled with inspiring events

EU-WIDE BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT
OPPORTUNITIES

Direct access to a range of buyers and category managers from leading European food companies and retailers

Start making your first revenue stream from your new product

Operational preparation, pitch training and consumer testing

REIMAGINE WASTE.
REDEFINE FOOD!

ABOUT US

The Waste 2 Plate project is a transformative initiative aimed at addressing food waste challenges by empowering startups to create innovative, sustainable, and marketable products using upcycled food ingredients.

We are a collective of passionate organizations, food innovators, and scientific experts dedicated to reducing food waste and creating a more circular food system. Our mission is to help startups succeed by providing the expertise, networks, and resources they need to create impactful innovations in the upcycling domain.