EIC Multi‑Corporate Day: real partners, real pitches, real questions

On 23 and 24 July 2025 the European Innovation Council (EIC) convened 34 of its portfolio companies and senior corporate decision makers from AB InBev, The Coca‑Cola Company and Procter & Gamble at Impact Circle 2025 in La Hulpe, Belgium. The activity, delivered under the EIC Corporate Partnership Programme, combined targeted coaching, business proposal reviews and live pitches. The stated aim was to accelerate pilots, co‑development projects and strategic partnerships that can address sustainability targets, improve production efficiency and enhance consumer experience across the fast moving consumer goods and food and beverage sectors.

The EIC framed the event as a focused, business‑oriented matchmaker. Michiel Scheffer, President of the EIC Board, described the interaction as "focused, constructive, and genuinely business‑oriented" and expressed the hope of "tangible deals" to follow. The EIC also said it will provide tailored follow‑up support and monitor progress over the coming six months.

Who pitched: 34 start‑ups and technologies on show

The selected EIC beneficiaries spanned biotechnology, materials, hardware, software and carbon technologies. They reflected common corporate priorities for FMCG and food producers: reducing carbon and water footprints, improving packaging sustainability, preventing product recalls through better quality control, and enabling circular material flows. The table below lists the companies that pitched and the quick description the EIC provided.

How the activity was run and what both sides said

Selected founders had gone through several weeks of EIC coaching and business‑proposal reviews before pitching. Each start‑up presented to a mixed audience of corporate technical and procurement leads and then moved into structured one‑to‑one meetings to discuss pilots, co‑development, licensing and procurement options. The activity formed part of the EIC Corporate Partnership Programme, which curates this kind of matchmaking for EIC‑backed innovators and large corporates.

Start‑up reactions were generally positive. George Brik, CEO of Hydro Volta, said the preparation sharpened their pitch for real production challenges in water reuse and carbon reduction and that the depth of feedback from Coca‑Cola experts "was invaluable."

Corporate representatives emphasised speed and alignment. Esteban Martinez‑Kumpel, Global Director of Research and Transformation at AB InBev, said the day gave their innovation and technical teams visibility to solutions that "directly address our sustainability goals" and that the high level of preparation by start‑ups helped pinpoint synergies. Molun Zhang, Director of R&D at The Coca‑Cola Company, framed the EIC programme as a way to de‑risk innovation and attract high calibre start‑ups. Andre Convents, Director of Connect and Develop at P&G, called the EIC Corporate Partnership Programme a "valuable gateway" to start‑ups aligned with P&G priorities.

Technologies worth a closer look and what they mean in practice

Several technology categories recurred across the 34 companies. Below are short explainers that give context for non‑specialist readers and highlight common opportunities and caveats.

Immediate business value for start‑ups and corporates

The EIC said the event offered start‑ups more than visibility. Targeted preparation and curated corporate access provided strategic insights and sales leads. For corporates, the exercise offered a faster way to see applied technologies that match pressing needs. Quotes from participants capture both sides of that bargain.

George Brik, CEO of Hydro Volta, summed up the start‑up view: "The structured preparation meant we arrived with a pitch sharpened for real production challenges, water reuse and carbon reduction in particular. The depth of feedback we received from Coca‑Cola experts on our product and the exposure to three global brands during this Multi‑Corporate Day was invaluable."

From the corporate side Esteban Martinez‑Kumpel at AB InBev said: "The Multi‑Corporate Day provided our innovation and technical teams access and visibility to technologies that directly address our sustainability goals—solutions that could potentially increase brewing and packaging efficiency and enhance consumer engagement." Molun Zhang at Coca‑Cola said the programme helps to de‑risk innovation and attract capable startups. Andre Convents at P&G described the EIC path as a "valuable gateway" to cutting‑edge startups that match strategic priorities.

What the EIC Corporate Partnership Programme offers and its track record

The Multi‑Corporate Day sits inside the EIC Business Acceleration Services and specifically the EIC Corporate Partnership Programme. The EIC describes the programme as a way to give EIC‑funded innovators access to decision makers at large corporations and to help companies pilot or integrate deep‑tech solutions.

The EIC says its curated format saves time for both sides by pre‑selecting and preparing companies so discussions address concrete industrial constraints rather than generic pitches.

A measured, critical view: where benefits meet reality

The event model addresses a real pain point. Large FMCG groups want vetted technologies they can test quickly. Start‑ups need credible corporate pilots and commercial references. The EIC offers both a branded filter and organisational muscle to make initial connections work.

However a few recurring frictions deserve emphasis. First, pilot to scale is the hardest phase. Getting a technology from a successful low‑volume trial into integrated, multi‑site procurement often requires engineering, certification, supply chain rework and demonstrated unit economics. That can take 12 to 36 months. Second, procurement and regulatory processes inside global FMCG firms are conservative by design. Novel materials and ingredients face testing and labelling requirements. Third, many start‑ups present promising lab or pilot data but still need manufacturing scale or regulated approvals. Finally, access to capital to bridge scale‑up is uneven. An early pilot without matched commercial terms and committed volumes can leave both sides frustrated.

Practical advice for future participants

For start‑ups: tailor pitches to production constraints, present credible scale‑up plans and be explicit about regulatory status. Provide realistic timelines for pilot readiness, supply capacity and cost targets.

For corporates: be explicit about the problem you want solved, internal decision gates, evaluation KPIs and what a successful pilot would look like commercially. Consider procurement pilot vehicles that bridge the valuation gap and reduce time to first purchase.

Checklist for a productive corporate‑start‑up engagement

1) Clear technical and commercial success criteria. 2) A named corporate sponsor and decision owner. 3) Pilot scope with data requirements and duration. 4) Budget and resource allocation for the pilot. 5) Post‑pilot pathway to procurement if KPIs are met. 6) Intellectual property and confidentiality terms agreed early.

Next steps and how to stay connected

The EIC is continuing to operate the Corporate Partnership Programme and is open to large corporations with an open innovation mindset. The programme is an element of the wider EIC Business Acceleration Services and the EIC BAS Newsletter is the channel for updates on open calls, partnership opportunities and further corporate days. Corporates interested in joining the programme are invited to apply through the EIC channels.

For journalists, investors and observers the clearest signals to watch over the coming months are whether pilots convert into paid pilots with clear KPIs, whether pilots scale across multiple sites and whether any of the start‑ups secure offtake or co‑development agreements that include commercial terms. The EIC’s role is useful in lowering discovery friction, but the real test of impact remains whether industrial adoption and measurable emission or waste reductions follow.

Further reading and resources

The Multi‑Corporate Day is one activity under the EIC Corporate Partnership Programme. The EIC publishes a report on corporate‑startup collaboration and runs other corporate days with partners across sectors. Start‑ups and corporates can sign up to the EIC BAS Newsletter for announcements and opportunities.