We are pleased to share that NIZO is participating as a match‑making partner in the Accelerate in the NL program — an initiative designed to help innovative companies scale their impact within the Dutch food ecosystem. As part of this program, we support startups, scale‑ups and SMEs developing the next generation of functional ingredients and technologies by connecting them with the right partners, facilities and expertise in the Netherlands.
If your company is working on novel functional ingredients and looking to scale in Europe, the Dutch ecosystem offers a strong landing place. Instead of spending months searching for the right contacts, the program enables selected companies to be matched directly with strategic partners, launching customers, R&D facilities and investors — including NIZO.
Companies can submit their pitch document until 2 March 2026 at 17:00 CET. After the deadline, industry experts from Invest in Holland will review all applications and invite companies that can benefit most from Dutch network connections — including the matchmaking support provided by NIZO.
Selected companies will join an exclusive online matchmaking day featuring 1‑on‑1 strategy meetings with pre‑selected partners. Based on your needs and ambitions, you will typically have 2–3 targeted conversations with relevant Dutch food companies, R&D organisations or universities. NIZO will be actively involved in these sessions to help identify the right scientific and technological connections.
For companies where strong mutual interest emerges, the program continues with an in‑person follow‑up in the Netherlands. This includes visits to R&D and scale‑up facilities, investor meetings, sessions on Dutch incentives and subsidies, and discounted access to the F&A Next conference. The goal is to turn promising conversations into concrete partnerships and growth opportunities — something NIZO is committed to supporting.
Do you want more information about how we can support you? Please contact our coordinator Evangelos Kontos.