EIC Chair Michiel Scheffer: ‘Wageningen a strong name in Europe’

Michiel Scheffer has been Chair of the European Innovation Council since the summer of 2023. He was appointed by the European Commission and focuses on advancing technology in Europe to make future generations more resilient. He aims to remove the challenges and barriers startups face when bringing their innovations to market. In the past, Scheffer worked for several years as Project Manager for Sustainable Textiles at Wageningen University & Research (WUR).

In Wageningen, societal and economic impact is achieved by bringing knowledge and technology to the wider world. This is precisely what Scheffer aims to achieve on a European scale. ‘We must invest in areas of strategic importance for Europe,’ he believes. ‘One of Europe’s greatest strengths is agriculture. We need to explore ways in which agriculture can supply us with certain materials or resources, which could, for example, be used in chemicals and pharmaceuticals. Farmers could, for instance, produce lactic acid from sugar, which can then be used to make plastics. In this way, industries such as agriculture can contribute to our quest for more autonomy in strategic economic sectors.’

EIC Grants: ‘unique funding’

According to Scheffer, EIC funding is unique in several respects. ‘Think of it as a combination of a grant and equity investment. No other funding source in Europe directly offers grants to advance the market readiness of technology and then supports the creation of a commercial organisation. Moreover, the amounts involved are relatively substantial, often larger than research grants in a country like Germany. Another unique aspect is that a single company can submit the application; typically, such schemes involve consortia. Of course, as a startup, you still need to demonstrate that your technology is of significant value to Europe.’

The EIC has several funding opportunities. Learn more about the pathfinder, transition and accelerator grants on their website.

Why does Wageningen perform so well?

Despite intense European competition, the Netherlands performs very well in securing EIC Grants. So far, 563 have been awarded, 42 of which were in the latest round. The Netherlands ranks third, securing €400 million, just €40 million less than second-place Germany. Within the Netherlands, Wageningen’s strong position stands out. For Scheffer, this comes as no surprise. He cites several reasons; ‘As a former deputy of the province of Gelderland, I know that the connection with development agency Oost NL is very strong. Startups and spin-offs can receive up to half a million euros from Oost NL, allowing them to build a solid foundation on their way to a €2.5 million EIC Grant. Oost NL actively targets Europe.’ Another important reason Scheffer mentions is Wageningen’s niche, which is largely agrifood. Roughly half of all EIC Grants have a medical aspect, and the competition in that field is enormous.’

‘Entrepreneurship is well organised’

However, according to Scheffer, the main reason is the way the WUR ecosystem functions. ‘That extends beyond Wageningen itself. The WUR system spans the whole of the Netherlands, from Friesland to Zeeland. During my time at WUR, I saw that entrepreneurial processes were well-structured. WUR submits hundreds of applications each year. I’ve spoken to universities that have only managed 20 in 20 years. The network and reputation of WUR in Europe are also very powerful. Wageningen has great potential to continue performing well in securing EIC Grants in the coming years.’

StartLife

Finally, the positive role of StartLife is worth mentioning. This Wageningen-based accelerator enables startups and spin-offs to grow their food and agritech businesses. Since its founding in 2010, StartLife has played a prominent role in helping to turn innovative ideas around food or agriculture into meaningful societal impact.

StartLife has already helped numerous entrepreneurs, directly or indirectly linked to WUR, secure an EIC Grant. Some examples include Carbominer, Toopi Organics, Orbisk, and Plant-e.