StartLife, an agrifood accelerator based in Wageningen, has announced two major developments at its 15th anniversary event. The program has successfully exceeded €10 million in pre-seed funding for Dutch agrifood startups and has formed a strategic partnership with EIT Food, a food innovation community. StartLife has supported over 400 startups globally, granting €10 million to 163 Dutch ventures, resulting in the creation of over 1,000 jobs and more than €230 million in follow-on funding. Successful Dutch startups supported by StartLife include Chaincraft, FoodCase International, and Dutch DNA Biotech.

The funding for StartLife's program largely comes from Oost NL, the East Netherlands Development Agency, with support from the Province of Gelderland and the Ministry of Economic Affairs. The partnership with EIT Food will now allow EU agrifood startups in StartLife's program to access EIT Food investment funding of up to €1.5 million. StartLife's Managing Director, Nikki Harrison, expressed excitement about the collaboration, noting the potential for startups to gain access to unprecedented funding and growth opportunities. This partnership aims to enhance fundraising efforts and support more agrifood startups in their growth and success within the industry.