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. We’re looking for companies in the field of Agriculture & Food Technologies, Bio-Plastics (food packaging), Waste Utilization and Soil Health.

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. For more information about the Tech Challenges, please click the download link.

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.
• 6 – 7 July 2026: Final workshop and presentations in Hannover, Germany.

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