Deadline: 16-Jan-23

Entries are now being accepted for the “ROOTCAMP Startup Accelerator Program” to implement kick-ass disruption in the agri-food sector.

The program focuses on scaling your idea at it’s full potential and helps you build an international network with top vcs, business angels, and top-class corporate partners.

Fields of Interest

• RootCamp is interested in finding solutions for the so-called upstream area of the Agri-Food Tech value chain. They are specifically interested in the following 9 verticals but feel free to apply if your startup operates in a related field.
• The following taxonomy is based on AgFounder.
  • Ag-Biotechnology: It includes inputs for crops (including seed, fertilizer, pesticides), genetics, microbiome, breeding, input for animals and animal health.
  • Agribusiness-Marketplaces: It includes commodities trading platforms, online input procurement, and equipment leasing platforms.
  • Bioenergy & Biomaterials: It includes non-food extraction and processing, feedstock technology, agriculture-related pharmaceuticals (like cannabis) and industrial biotechnology.
  • Farm-Management-Software, Sensing & IOT: It includes agricultural data capturing devices, decision support software solutions, and big data analytics.
  • Farm-Robotics, Mechanization & Equipment: It includes on-farm machinery, sensors, automation, drone manufacturers, grow equipment, and smart irrigation.
  • Innovative Food: It includes cultured meat, novel ingredients, and plant-based proteins.
  • Supply Chain & Packaging Solutions: It includes food safety tech, food traceability tech, logistics & transport, food processing tech, waste recycles tech, packaging solutions, and sustainability tech.
  • Novel Farming Systems: It includes new methods of farming living ingredients.
  • Miscellaneous: It includes the rest.

Program Breakdown

• For early-stage startups:
  • The program entails a 3-months acceleration phase including access to the ecosystem, all learning resources, and funding to make you investor-ready.
  • After that, you will have the possibility to get additional 9 months to further define, develop and pilot your product/technology in cooperation with their corporate partners.
• For later-stage startups:
  • You will get a 3 to 12 months period to get real market validation. The goal is to have your solution implemented within the corporate real-world environment through pilot projects and accelerate your growth. You profit either from a new variant of your product/technology or from new customers to enter the European market.

Benefits

• Top level know-how
  • The learning process for every company never ends. They provide on-site and virtual workshops and on-demand e-learning resources. Moreover, they have an extensive network of experienced startup coaches and industry experts.
  • RootCamp’s program proposes close interaction with their strategic partners. A dedicated intrapreneurial team of their partner K+S waits to share their expertise.
• The support network you need
  • Being backed by one of the best-ranked accelerators, the SpinLab, and a worldwide player in the fertilizer and salt field, K+S, they provide the best support for scaling solutions within the AgriFood-Tech sector.
  • Even if you are a later stage startup or established company, tell them about your solution – they will help you to implement it within the European markets.
• 24/7 office access
  • The program grants you 24/7/365 access to their lofty innovation hub in the heart of Hannover. Hannover is the Capital of the State Lower Saxony – the biggest AgriFood center in Germany. Moreover K+S offers lab space in Wunstorf at the Innopark Sigmundshall.
• Customizable Program and Flexible Duration Time
  • They offer an intense program that is customizable according to your needs.
  • For early-stage startups, they have an acceleration program of 3 months and a subsequent incubation program up to 12 months.
  • For later-stage startups, they are accepting rolling applications so there is no deadline and you can apply all year long.
• 100% free program + acceleration grant up to 50k
  • They want you to focus on your solution. For every phase of their program they will grant financial support, so you focus just on disruption. No matter if it runs 3 or 12 months.
  • No equity, no shares, no fees. The acceleration grant can reach up to 50k euro.

Outcomes

Pilot outcomes include:

• product co-development
• commercial partnership
• licensing agreements
• extension of customers base
• additional investments

What kind of startups are they looking for?

• Team: They expect all applying startups to have a complete founding team of 2-4 founders, with all crucial skill sets and necessary experience, already in place.
• Idea: Your startup’s idea and concept should be truly outstanding, unique, and most importantly, scalable. They’re looking for companies and teams that have the potential to disrupt the AgriFood Tech segment.
• Motivation: They’re not looking for startups who want things to come to them easy. They’re going to invest 100% into you, so they expect you to have the passion, energy, willingness, and drive to make your startup come to life.
• Phase: They accept startups from all stages. Pre-seed and seed startups will first join the acceleration phase of 3 months and enlarge their networks. Later stage startups will directly jump into the integration project up to 12 months to implement solutions within the corporate environment.
• Technology: The RootCamp has a focus on AgriFood-Tech startups providing solutions on the so-called upstream area of the value chain. They focus on solutions that will leverage the industry rather than customer focused variants of existing products.
• Geography: They accept startups from all around the world. Teams must have business level fluency in English.

For more information, visit RootCamp.