CaixaBank and the EIC launch a pilot to source agri‑tech from EIC‑funded companies
- ›CaixaBank, through AgroBank and CPC, and the European Innovation Council launched an agrotech procurement pilot targeting EIC-funded startups and SMEs.
- ›The open call invited solutions in six strategic areas including precision farming, robotics, biotechnology, circular economy, water and energy efficiency, and new digital marketing models.
- ›Applications from eligible EIC beneficiaries were accepted until 21 January 2022 and finalists would present to EIC and AgroBank for coaching and commercial access.
- ›The initiative offers access to CaixaBank/AgroBank sales channels, specialised coaching from the EIC, and potential procurement and financing opportunities, while raising governance and data sharing questions.
CaixaBank and the European Innovation Council pilot procurement to bring agri‑tech to Spanish and Portuguese farms
In late 2021 CaixaBank and the European Innovation Council launched a pilot titled Innovation Procurement pilot in AgroTech: Looking for technological disruption. The aim was to identify EIC‑funded start‑ups, scaleups and SMEs with market ready technologies that could help modernise agriculture and livestock sectors in Spain and Portugal. The initiative combined the EIC's network of beneficiaries with CaixaBank's AgroBank business line and commercial channels.
What the pilot offered and why it matters
The pilot positioned itself as an applied procurement and commercialisation exercise. Selected companies would gain specialised coaching from the EIC and access to CaixaBank and AgroBank expertise and sales channels. CaixaBank framed the programme as a way to bring innovation into rural areas, increase productivity, improve sustainability, and open new markets for agri‑tech providers. For the EIC, the pilot represented a route to market for companies already supported by its funding instruments.
The technical priorities: six strategic areas
The open call targeted innovations across six priority categories. Each area combined established technologies with sector specific needs. The pilot emphasised applied, market ready solutions rather than basic research.
| Priority area | Scope and concrete examples | Intended sector outcomes |
| Precision farming, traceability and vertical agriculture | Integrated data collection, management platforms, decision support using satellite imagery, IoT, Big Data and blockchain for secure traceability | Improve yield per hectare, farm level decision making and supply chain transparency |
| Robotics and digitalisation | Automation of repetitive processes, robotics for harvesting, sensor networks, process digitisation and workflow automation | Raise productivity, reduce labour costs and enable 24/7 operations where suitable |
| Biotechnology | Genetic solutions, novel biological products, valorisation of biological waste and new bio‑based inputs | New products and practices that can increase resilience and resource efficiency |
| Sustainability, biodiversity and circular economy | Tools and services for biodiversity monitoring, circular business models, waste reuse and regenerative practices | Reduce environmental footprint and create value from waste streams |
| Water and energy efficiency | Systems for irrigation optimisation, water purification, desalination, and on‑site renewable energy for self consumption including battery storage | Lower resource use and improve operational resilience |
| New digital marketing models | E‑commerce marketplaces, farm to fork platforms and digital supply chain solutions | Open new routes to market and shorten distribution chains |
Who could apply and how selection worked
The call was limited to beneficiaries of EIC funding programmes. The EIC reported more than 5 000 start‑ups and SMEs funded across 37 EU Member States and associated countries over the programme period. Eligible companies were startups, scaleups or SMEs with ready for market solutions in the priority areas. Applications were collected through the EIC Community Platform and the public deadline was 21 January 2022.
What participants were promised
The pilot combined several potential benefits for participating companies. Those included top‑tier coaching from the EIC Business Acceleration Services, opportunities to pilot or deploy solutions via AgroBank customer networks, visibility and potential access to new financing services. CaixaBank also highlighted co‑creation initiatives it runs with startups such as Zone2Boost, Start4big and the DayOne Open Innovation Programme as examples of its wider corporate innovation activity.
Context in Spain and the EU
CaixaBank framed the move as consistent with its wider commitment to working with startups to accelerate innovation and help move solutions to market faster. The bank said agriculture represented around 9 percent of Spanish GDP and that the sector's future depends on digital transformation and automation. The Covid‑19 pandemic was cited as having amplified the need for strategic autonomy and digitalisation in agricultural and livestock systems across Europe.
Risks, limitations and governance questions
Partnerships that link public innovation networks with large corporate channels can accelerate uptake but also create tensions. There are practical and policy issues to watch, including: how procurement processes are structured, whether startups retain independence in commercial terms, how data is shared and protected, and how the benefits are measured.
The initiative also raises the usual scaling tradeoffs for startups. Corporate distribution brings reach but not always product‑market fit. Pilots in real farms surface operational complexities and can require additional capital and time. Promises of 'access to customers' are valuable but must be backed by specific deployment plans and measurable outcomes.
How to apply and program timeline
EIC beneficiaries were invited to submit candidatures via the EIC Community platform. The published deadline for the open call was 21 January 2022 at midnight Central European Time. Shortlisted finalists were to present to the EIC and AgroBank with selected participants receiving coaching and commercial support thereafter. The EIC Business Acceleration Services indicated participants would be asked to fill brief surveys after events and after six months to document impact.
Final assessment
The CaixaBank‑EIC pilot combined two credible assets: a large corporate sales channel in the Spanish agricultural market and a pipeline of deep tech companies supported by the EIC. That combination can help move innovations out of pilots and into operations. At the same time the real test is in measurable deployments, commercial contracts or finance concluded, and in whether small companies retain appropriate commercial terms.
Startups considering participation should review data sharing terms, clarify the exact nature of commercial access being offered and ask for explicit criteria used in selection. Policymakers and innovation agencies should monitor outcomes from the pilot and publish results so the wider ecosystem can judge whether this model is an effective route to scale agri‑tech across the EU.