SocialTech Lab has been appointed as the EIT Food Country Representative for Cyprus, a role that will expand access for startups, researchers and other stakeholders in Cyprus to European funding, programmes, and partnerships in the agrifood sector. 

EIT Food is supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union. EIT Food is Europe’s leading agrifood innovation initiative bringing together businesses, startups, research institutions, and academia to drive innovation and sustainability across the food system.

In its role as EIT Food Country Representative, SocialTech Lab will act as the national gateway to EIT Food in Cyprus, working directly with startups, researchers, and industry stakeholders to connect them with European funding, training, and partnership opportunities. The organisation will actively provide hands-on support for participation in EIT Food initiatives by helping stakeholders identify relevant opportunities, prepare competitive applications, and access pathways to collaboration, piloting, and market expansion, enabling agrifood innovators in Cyprus to bring new agrifood solutions to market.

This role comes at a critical time for Cyprus’ agrifood sector. While the sector faces increasing pressure from climate challenges, slow digitisation, and structural constraints, many innovators also encounter barriers in accessing funding, scaling solutions beyond Cyprus, and entering international markets. SocialTech Lab’s mandate as EIT Food Country Representative is designed to address these gaps by building structured pathways that enable innovators to move from early-stage ideas to validated solutions and international growth.

In practice, this means that startups and entrepreneurs in Cyprus will be supported not only in discovering new EIT Food opportunities, but in engaging with them meaningfully. Researchers and academic institutions will be able to access clearer pathways to translate Agrifood research into real-world applications, engage with EIT Food education and innovation programmes, and collaborate more closely with industry and startups. Companies and organisations across the agrifood value chain will gain access to emerging innovation, opportunities to participate in collaborative projects and pilots, and stronger integration into European networks shaping the future of food.

Beyond individual participation, SocialTech Lab will play a broader ecosystem role, coordinating outreach, delivering capacity-building activities such as startup training and mentorship, and bringing together stakeholders across the Knowledge Triangle (academia, research, and business). Through targeted events, networking, programmes, and partnerships, the organisation will work to increase awareness of EIT Food opportunities while ensuring that engagement translates into tangible outcomes, including applications, collaborations, and funded initiatives.

“This role is about opening doors,” said Steven W. Stavrou, Director of Strategy & Impact at SocialTech Lab. “We have incredible agrifood talent across startups, research, and industry that we can accelerate with clearer pathways into European programmes and markets. Through EIT Food, we’re creating those pathways, helping agrifood innovators scale with the right support behind them, and contribute to the future of food in Europe.”

SocialTech Lab has already begun rolling out activities for 2026, including information sessions, targeted outreach campaigns, startup support and application clinics, and capacity-building programmes designed to prepare participants for EIT Food opportunities. As part of this initial engagement, SocialTech Lab will host the first EIT Food Activation Event in Cyprus on 25 May 2026 at the CYENS Centre of Excellence in Nicosia, co-organised with the EIT Community Officer in Cyprus and supported by CYENS as the EIT Community RIS Hub. The event will bring together stakeholders from across startups, research, industry, and policy to identify key priorities, foster collaboration, and help shape future agrifood innovation activities in the country.

Stakeholders across the agrifood ecosystem are invited to engage with these activities and explore how they can participate in and benefit from the EIT Food network. More information and upcoming opportunities can be found at agrifood.socialtechlab.org or by contacting [email protected].