Canadian agrifood startups have until 15th June to apply for a delegation trip to Warsaw this October. The deadline marks the first tangible outcome of a transatlantic partnership announced on Tuesday between Calgary-based AgSphere and Brussels-based EIT Food.
AgSphere will lead a cohort of Canadian startups to Next Bite, EIT Food’s flagship event scheduled for 28th-29th October in Poland. The Expression of Interest window opens today, with selections confirmed in July.
“We’re hitting the ground running on our partnership with EIT Food by assembling a cohort for our first startup trip this fall,” said Chris Paterson, AgSphere’s executive director. “The EU is not only a major market for agri-food products, it’s also home to sector innovators that we want to help startups build relationships with.”
The partnership formalises collaboration between Canada’s Prairie innovation ecosystem and Europe’s largest food innovation community. EIT Food operates across the continent with backing from the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, a European Union body.
Both organisations will facilitate startup immersion programmes, skills development initiatives and strategic collaboration between the two regions. The arrangement gives Canadian innovators access to EIT Food’s established European network whilst positioning Canadian agricultural expertise for European partners.
EIT Food executives visited Calgary and Edmonton in April, meeting AgSphere leadership and sector stakeholders across Alberta. Those conversations laid groundwork for the partnership announced eight weeks later.
“Our partnership with EIT Food opens up a world of possibilities for Canadian agri-food innovators to access European resources, while Canada has agricultural prowess that we can share with our European counterparts,” Paterson explained. “EIT Food has a proven model for sector collaboration that we can learn from, to help strengthen our own ecosystem here at home.”
The scale difference between the two organisations is notable. AgSphere officially launched in December 2025, making it barely six months old. EIT Food describes itself as the world’s largest food innovation community, with networks spanning European member states.
Richard Zaltzman, EIT Food’s chief executive, framed the partnership as part of broader efforts to reshape global food systems. “Partnerships like this are essential to delivering real change in the food system,” he said. “By working together across borders with organisations like AgSphere, we are strengthening a pan-European and global innovation community that can make food more sustainable, accessible, secure and transparent for all.”
For Canadian startups eyeing European expansion, the timing offers strategic advantage. The EU represents a major market for agrifood products, though navigating regulatory frameworks and building relationships across member states typically requires significant resources. A facilitated entry through established networks could accelerate market access.
AgSphere operates from Calgary with a mandate to connect Canada’s agrifood innovation ecosystem. Its founding partners include AdFarm, the Calgary Stampede, Olds College of Agriculture & Technology and the Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund—a mix reflecting the sector’s blend of agricultural tradition, research capacity and commercial ambition.
The hub positions itself at the intersection of producers, startups, researchers, investors and industry networks. Located in the heart of the Prairies, AgSphere leverages regional agricultural strengths whilst building bridges to global opportunities.
EIT Food’s remit centres on accelerating innovation across resilient agriculture, protein diversification and agrifood biotech. The organisation was established in 2017 specifically to drive food system innovation across Europe, investing in ideas, talent and the infrastructure that connects science, research, industry and policymakers.
The Warsaw event in October will serve as the first test of how effectively the partnership translates into tangible benefits for participating startups. Next Bite typically draws innovators, investors and industry leaders from across Europe’s agrifood sector.
What remains unclear is how many Canadian startups will ultimately join the delegation, what selection criteria will prioritise, and whether the partnership will establish ongoing exchange programmes beyond the initial October mission. Those details should emerge as selections are finalised over the coming months.
Interested startups can submit expressions of interest through AgSphere’s website. The three-week application window closes mid-June, leaving limited time for companies to assess whether European market expansion aligns with their current growth strategies.
