De-TECH Innovation Tech Challenge 2026 – Agriculture & Food Edition

Call for Industry Challenges – Focus on Agriculture & Food Technologies, Bio-Plastics (food packaging), Waste Utilization and Soil Health

Funded by the European Union – EIT HEI Initiative

The De-TECH Innovation Tech Challenge 2026 connects companies with interdisciplinary student teams from leading European universities to develop solutions for real-world technological challenges.

The initiative is part of the EIT Higher Education Initiative, which promotes collaboration between academia, industry and innovation ecosystems across Europe.

Our academic partners include:

• Technical University of Madrid (UPM)
• Estonian Business School (EBS)
• Istanbul Technical University (ITU)
• Leibniz University Hannover (LUH)

What are Tech Challenges?

A Tech Challenge is a real-world problem provided by a company or industry stakeholder. International student teams work on innovative solution concepts addressing current technological or innovation-related challenges.

The challenges should be:

• High-tech-oriented, in the field of Agriculture & Food Technologies, Bio-Plastics (food packaging), Waste Utilization and Soil Health or related sectors.
• Open-ended, allowing interdisciplinary and creative solutions
• Optional: linked to cross-over fields such as AI, sensor technologies, materials, robotics, etc.
• Based on real needs and relevant to current market or research trends.

See example Tech Challenge below. 

Why participate as a company?

• Gain fresh ideas and perspectives from talented students across Europe.
• Connect with leading universities and young innovation talent.
• Receive tailored, early-stage solution concepts for your challenge.
• Engage in international knowledge exchange and visibility.

Companies should name a contact person for the specific challenge. Ideally this person could participate at the finale event. 

What happens next?

• 12 April 2026: Deadline for companies to submit a Tech Challenge.
• April 2026: Selection of challenges.
• April – May 2026: Student teams select a challenge and begin working on solution proposals.
• 17 May 2026: Deadline for student teams to submit solution proposals.
• End of May 2026: Selection of the best proposals together with the participating companies.
• 7 – 8 July 2026: Final workshop and presentations in Hannover, Germany.

After the workshop, companies may further collaborate with selected teams.