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Aerial view of a corn harvest: a forage harvester cuts the field while two tractors with trailers drive alongside.
Hands pour golden wheat grains into a burlap sack in front of a ripe wheat field.
Offering

UnternehmerTUM AgriFood
Innovation for a Resilient Food System – Turning Complexity Into Growth

We help you find the partners, expertise, and execution capabilities to turn bold ideas into results.

In Numbers

  • 8+ Years of Experience
  • 5 Sponsors
  • 400+ Startups Supported

Partners and Startups in Our Network

On This Page

About Us

As a neutral catalyst and network orchestrator, we bring together industry, research, startups, policymakers, and agriculture across the entire value chain. Leaders who want to master the complexity of the food system find a partner in UnternehmerTUM AgriFood that delivers holistic, hands-on solutions. Because resilience doesn’t emerge in silos, but through close collaboration among everyone who grows, produces, transports, and sells our food.

Why the Food System Needs to Move Now

Food is a foundation of our society and economy. Yet the system that produces it is caught in a vicious circle: It is a major contributor to climate change and, at the same time, one of the first to suffer from its consequences. That is exactly where opportunities for innovation emerge.

  • ~30% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from food systems
  • ~10 billion people will need to be fed by 2050
  • 18% of AgriFood startups work in agriculture
  • 6% of funding goes there

From Seed to Shelf: We Look at the Entire Value Chain

From inputs, agriculture, and ingredients through processing, packaging, and residue recovery to retail, plus cross-cutting technologies such as AI, sensor technology, and biotech.

What We Offer

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Innovation Partnership
Your network across the entire food value chain

Join the network that brings together all stakeholders across the entire food value chain, together with research, startups, and investors. Learn from peers, meet the right people, and find new ways to grow your business.

  • C-level briefings, peer roundtables, and executive dinners with industry peers
  • Trend briefings and white papers written together with our partners
  • A dedicated expert team as your sparring partner
  • Speaking slots and visibility for your expertise and experience
Get in touch
DHM Co Innovation Kick off Grids Benefits

Co-Innovation
Solve together what no company can solve alone

Bring your challenges to researchers, startups, and other companies in the industry, and work on a solution you can test.

  • Innovation sprints and outsourced R&D with academia and startups up to prototype level
  • Joint projects with partners across the supply chain, for problems too complex for one company
  • Deep dives with TUM students, with the IP staying with you
  • Scenario and “nightmare competitor” workshops that show where future threats could hit you
Get in touch
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Startup Access
The right startups for your challenges

Skip the search. We match your challenges with startups from our network and help you get from first conversation to a running pilot.

  • Matchmaking across 2,500+ agrifood companies
  • Accelerator track twice a year with exclusive startup access and a long list, or venture clienting as a first customer: you choose the route
  • Pilot set-up with the startups that fit, together with you
  • Three Demo Days a year where you meet founders in person
Get in touch
Porträt von Antje Schubert
Porträt von Manfred Wulf

Antje Schubert, Supervisory and Advisory Board Member in the Food and Consumer Goods Industry

“We don’t lack great ideas. What we need is the courage to make them a reality. People who open doors. Partners who turn ideas into major successes. Because the future isn’t created behind closed doors. It is created when we share knowledge, join forces, and take action together. That’s exactly what excites me about UnternehmerTUM AgriFood: giving bold ideas the chance to grow big, in Germany, Europe, and beyond.”

“For over 20 years, I have managed food companies with great enthusiasm, and I know this: Resilience does not arise in crisis mode. It stems from long-term thinking, reliable partnerships throughout the supply chain, starting with agriculture, and the courage to transform one’s own organization. As an ambassador, I want to use UnternehmerTUM AgriFood to bring together decision-makers who are tackling precisely this challenge together.”

Our Focus Areas 2027

  • Water

  • Food Resilience

  • Precision Agriculture

  • Farm 2030

Highlights From the AgriFood Ecosystem

Startups Programs Unternehmer TUM Accelerator 16x9

New Ingredients Accelerator Track
Program

Batch #19: How can new ingredients and alternative proteins reach industry faster? The track supports startups working on everything from fermentation to functional ingredients.

Learn More

Events

  1. Upcoming events

  2. Past events

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Let’s Talk

What challenge are you facing? Whether you have questions about our services, are looking for a startup match, or want to collaborate on a project: Reach out to us, and together we’ll find the right way to get started.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What Is UnternehmerTUM AgriFood?

UnternehmerTUM AgriFood is a platform for innovation, collaboration, and business creation in the agriculture and food sector, with a focus on sustainability, digitalization, and forward-looking technologies.

Why Do We Need UnternehmerTUM AgriFood?

Because “business as usual” is no longer an option. UnternehmerTUM AgriFood brings stakeholders together to jointly develop solutions to key challenges such as food security, supply chain resilience, and climate change.

Who Can Get Involved in UnternehmerTUM AgriFood?

Startups, established companies, research institutions, NGOs, farmers, and policymakers. In short: anyone who wants to rethink and shape the food system together.

How Do Companies Benefit From UnternehmerTUM AgriFood?

Through access to innovative startups, exclusive industry insights, hands-on workshops, and dealflow opportunities, as well as active involvement in a strong ecosystem.

How Can Organizations Inquire About a Partnership?

Interested organizations can contact our team directly. Following an initial conversation, we assess their needs, recommend a suitable membership package, and plan their entry into the ecosystem together.

What Membership Options Are Available?

We offer modular membership models with increasing access to our network, events, startup dealflow, exclusive insights, and co-creation opportunities. Depending on the package, partners benefit from introductory consultations, roundtables, hackathons, or joint innovation projects.

Are There Regular Programs or Events?

Yes. We regularly host demo days, roundtables, workshops, and hackathons, as well as innovation programs such as the EIT Food Accelerator. We also offer membership models with a range of benefits.