EIC Corporate Day with AB InBev: startups pitched solutions for co-products, bioprocesses, packaging circularity and dispense
- ›On 26-27 June 2023 the EIC and AB InBev held a Corporate Day at AB InBev’s Global Innovation and Technology Centre in Leuven to match EIC-backed innovators with five corporate challenges.
- ›Twelve EIC-selected beneficiaries from across Europe pitched solutions addressing co-products, bioprocesses, health and wellness, packaging circularity and dispense.
- ›EIC and EISMEA representatives attended including EIC Board President Michiel Scheffer who said repeat corporate engagements will be a priority during his presidency.
- ›The event is part of the EIC Corporate Partnership Programme which has run numerous matchmaking initiatives since 2017 to accelerate pilots and commercial collaborations between startups and large corporations.
EIC Corporate Day with AB InBev: leveraging startup innovation to address brewing sector challenges
On 26 and 27 June 2023 the European Innovation Council Business Acceleration Services and AB InBev hosted a Corporate Day at AB InBev’s Global Innovation and Technology Centre in Leuven, Belgium. The two day, in-person event brought together corporate teams and 12 EIC-backed beneficiaries to present technologies and business solutions mapped to five specific challenges that AB InBev is prioritising. The initiative combined public pitching sessions with bilateral business meetings and follow up conversations intended to accelerate pilots, proofs of concept and commercial partnerships.
Event format, participants and objectives
The Corporate Day took place at AB InBev’s GITEC building in Leuven. Twelve beneficiaries selected from the EIC portfolio were given the opportunity to pitch in front of AB InBev representatives. The format mixed public pitches with one-to-one meetings. The stated objective was to identify scalable solutions that can be integrated into AB InBev’s operations or product offering. EIC and EISMEA representatives attended the event, including the EIC Board President Michiel Scheffer.
What AB InBev asked innovators to address
AB InBev presented five challenge areas. Each targets longstanding commercial and sustainability pressures in beverage manufacture, packaging and on-premise serving. The categories gave incoming startups scope to propose solutions ranging from material substitution to process optimisation and digitalisation.
The innovators: twelve EIC beneficiaries
Twelve EIC-supported companies were selected to pitch. The EIC did not publish detailed descriptions of each company’s pitch in the event notice. The list below records the firms and their countries of origin. Together they represent a cross-section of deep tech, materials, life sciences and digital firms drawn from EIC portfolios.
| Company | Country |
| Altar | France |
| Biotrem Sp. z o.o. | Poland |
| Bioweg UG | Germany |
| Digimind GMBH | Germany |
| Green Fuels Research Ltd | United Kingdom |
| Magnotherm Solutions GMBH | Germany |
| Nordic 24/7 Services Oy | Finland |
| Oculyze GmbH | Germany |
| Otechos AS | Norway |
| Sonicat Systems | Spain |
| Stac Technology APS | Denmark |
| Thimus Srl | Italy |
How this fits the EIC Corporate Partnership Programme
The AB InBev Corporate Day is part of the EIC Corporate Partnership Programme, a sustained effort by the EIC Business Acceleration Services to connect EIC-backed startups and scaleups with large corporates. The programme bundles scouting, challenge definition, matchmaking and facilitation into curated events and follow-up processes intended to accelerate pilots and business deals.
| Metric | Reported figure |
| Corporate Partnership initiatives (Oct 2017 to Mar 2023) | 63 |
| Corporate partners engaged | 100+ |
| EIC-funded startups/scaleups involved | Over 1,200 |
| Corporate high-level representatives participating | Over 2,500 |
| Reported near-term impacts | Pilots, proofs of concept and other collaborations reported within 6 months in a number of cases |
Why events like this matter and what to watch for
Corporate Days can deliver concrete benefits. For startups they provide access to potential customers, validation in industrial settings, and faster routes to pilots. For corporates they supply curated access to early stage innovation and potential strategic partners. But outcomes vary and are shaped by startup readiness, regulatory hurdles, commercial fit and the corporation’s ability to move from pilot to scale.
Practical advice for startups preparing for corporate engagement
If you are an EIC-backed company or an innovator considering corporate pitching opportunities, prepare to demonstrate clear commercial value, realistic pilot metrics, and a plan for integration. Be ready to surface regulatory pathways, intellectual property positions and data governance arrangements. Corporate partners will prioritise solutions that reduce risk, fit existing workflows and offer measurable returns.
Context and caveats
The EIC highlights quick follow-ups and deals resulting from its Corporate Partnership Programme. That said, independent verification of headline impact figures is scarce in public materials and outcomes should be evaluated case by case. Corporate engagement programmes are valuable but their effectiveness depends on rigorous follow up, clear commercial incentives and mutual alignment between startups and corporate strategy.
AB InBev has previously worked with the EIC on other initiatives including the Planet Tech event in 2020 and earlier Corporate Days in 2020 and 2021. For corporates and startups alike, repeated engagement can build trust and operational pathways for scaling innovations. The EIC Business Acceleration Services remains the contact point for startups that want access to similar corporate matchmaking opportunities.
Next steps and where to find more
Startups interested in similar opportunities can monitor the EIC Business Acceleration Services events page and the EIC Community platform for calls and Corporate Day announcements. Corporates seeking to join the EIC Corporate Partnership Programme are invited to contact the EIC through its official channels to discuss challenge definition and matchmaking.
Disclaimer: The information in this article is provided in the interest of knowledge sharing and reflects the published event notice and programme materials. It should not be interpreted as an official position of the European Commission or any other organisation.