EBRD AgVenture – Accelerating Agri-tech and Digital Innovation for Sustainable Agri-food systems

Overview
Project Summary Document

TCRS 16575

Status TC Com approved

Location

Regional

Business Sector

Food and Agribusiness

Notice Type

Public

PSD Disclosed

17 Dec 2025

Project Description

Global agrifood systems are under increasing pressure from climate change, supply-chain disruptions and resource constraints. As both a major emitter and a climate-vulnerable sector, agribusiness must accelerate innovation to improve sustainability, productivity and resilience. Agritech and food-tech solutions are central to this transition, yet early-stage ventures depend on supportive ecosystems, finance and strong market linkages.

Enquiries

Business opportunities

For business opportunities or procurement, contact the client company.

For business opportunities with EBRD (not related to procurement) contact:

Tel: +44 20 7338 7168
Email: projectenquiries@ebrd.com

For state-sector projects, visit EBRD Procurement:

Tel: +44 20 7338 6794
Email: procurement@ebrd.com

General enquiries

Specific enquiries can be made using the EBRD Enquiries form.

TCRS 16575

Status TC Com approved

Location

Regional

Business Sector

Food and Agribusiness

Notice Type

Public

PSD Disclosed

17 Dec 2025

Project Description

In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), agrifood innovation can significantly strengthen food security and inclusion by reducing losses, improving traceability and connecting farmers, women and youth to markets. However, ecosystems across the region remain uneven, with many promising entrepreneurs lacking networks, financing and scale-up support.

The EBRD brings longstanding experience in promoting sustainable, inclusive and digitally enabled food systems, as well as deep expertise in supporting early-stage innovation ecosystems. Through its investments and advisory activities, the Bank has helped companied improve supply chain resilience, integrate local suppliers, adopt green technologies and enhance managerial capabilities. The EBRD’s Venture Capital Investment Programme (VCIP), Enterprise Expansion Facility (ESIF), and Star Venture Programme provide a strong foundation for supporting high-potential start-ups and innovation intermediaries.

AgVenture – an EBRD agri-food tech vertical built on the Star Venture methodology – has demonstrated strong results since its pilot in 2022, providing tailored support, mentoring, investor linkages and corporate matchmaking for early-stage agrifood innovators across the EBRD regions. The 2023 and 2024 AgVenture cohorts confirmed robust demand from start-ups and strong interest from corporates seeking digital, climate-smart and sustainability-focused solutions.

The project is firmly aligned with the EBRD’s Strategic Capital Framework (SCF) 2025 – 2029, advancing innovation, digitalisation, private sector development and climate resilience while expanding opportunities for youth, women and rural entrepreneurs.

TC Services

This project will adapt and deploy AgVenture in the new SSA region, running two competitive challenge rounds, providing tailored support to selected ventures, strengthening corporate linkages and generating market intelligence on innovation and investment opportunities. It will also help larger corporates, including prospective EBRD clients, adopt solutions developed in the region.

Key activities include:

- Two rounds of competitions held to find Sub-Saharan African start-ups focused on sustainability and decarbonisation in food and agricultural production; enhanced resilience and adaptation to climate change, digitalisation of agri-food value chains and/or improved inclusion and equality of opportunity.

- After screening, up to 20 applicants will be shortlisted based upon satisfying pre-determined criteria. Shortlisted innovators will then pitch their products and/or services to win the competition. A jury composed of well-known international professionals specialised in the agri-tech sector will select the final winners.

- Winning innovators will receive a tailored advisory toolkit through the Star Venture programme. They will also have the opportunity to present their products and services through the various high-level events organised or attended by the EBRD. All shortlisted candidates will be offered exposure to Star Venture and other EBRD networks.

Any competitive selections for business opportunities relating to this project will be published on the EBRD's website: Consultancy Procurement Opportunities.

General enquiries

EBRD project enquiries not related to procurement:
Tel: +44 20 7338 7168
Email: projectenquiries@ebrd.com

Access to Information Policy (AIP)

The AIP sets out how the EBRD discloses information and consults with its stakeholders so as to promote better awareness and understanding of its strategies, policies and operations following its entry into force on 1 January 2020. Please visit the Access to Information Policy page to find out what information is available from the EBRD website.

Specific requests for information can be made using the EBRD Enquiries form

Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (IPAM)

If efforts to address environmental, social or public disclosure concerns with the Client or the Bank are unsuccessful (e.g. through the Client’s Project-level grievance mechanism or through direct engagement with Bank management), individuals and organisations may seek to address their concerns through the EBRD’s Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (IPAM).

IPAM independently reviews Project issues that are believed to have caused (or to be likely to cause) harm. The purpose of the Mechanism is: to support dialogue between Project stakeholders to resolve environmental, social and public disclosure issues; to determine whether the Bank has complied with its Environmental and Social Policy or Project-specific provisions of its Access to Information Policy; and where applicable, to address any existing non-compliance with these policies, while preventing future non-compliance by the Bank.

Please visit the Independent Project Accountability Mechanism webpage to find out more about IPAM and its mandate; how to submit a Request for review; or contact IPAM via email ipam@ebrd.com to get guidance and more information on IPAM and how to submit a request.

Our story

How we invest in changing lives

What we offer for businesses

Search

EBRD AgVenture – Accelerating Agri-tech and Digital Innovation for Sustainable Agri-food systems

Project Description

Enquiries

Business opportunities

General enquiries

Project Description

General enquiries

Access to Information Policy (AIP)

Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (IPAM)