Skip to main content
SME innovation

€1.3 million budget for extension SME Innovation Voucher Programme  

Foodvalley announces that the SME Innovation Voucher Programme will be extended from 1 February 2026 until June 2029, in collaboration with Regio Deal Foodvalley. With a remaining budget of approximately €1.3 million, the programme will continue to support SMEs in accelerating innovation and scaling by providing access to shared pilot and demonstration facilities.

In addition to the extension, several updates to the programme’s rules and regulations will be introduced. These changes are designed to increase flexibility and better reflect the realities of innovation and scale-up processes within the agrifood sector.

More flexibility through in-kind co-financing

One of the key changes is the introduction of in-kind co-financing. SMEs can now cover up to 25% of their required co-financing through in-kind contributions, with a maximum of €12,500. These contributions must meet predefined conditions related to cost eligibility and origin, ensuring transparency and accountability while lowering the financial threshold for participation.

Multiple vouchers for larger innovation trajectories

The updated programme also acknowledges that innovation and scaling often take place in phases. SMEs are therefore allowed to divide a larger innovation or scaling trajectory across multiple vouchers, within the following framework:

  • a maximum of €100,000 per SME
  • up to four applications per SME

“With these adjustments, we are making the SME Innovation Voucher more accessible and better aligned with how innovation and scaling actually work in practice,” says Jochem Groothuismink from Foodvalley. “By allowing in-kind contributions and multiple vouchers, we reduce financial barriers while maintaining a robust programme.”

Strengthening the agrifood innovation ecosystem

The SME Innovation Voucher Programme is part of Regio Deal Foodvalley I. It is one of the funding instruments available to accelerate the transition towards a sustainable and healthy food system. With the extension of the SME Innovation Voucher Programme until 2029 and the updated conditions, Foodvalley and Regio Deal Foodvalley aim to further strengthen the agrifood innovation ecosystem. The programme supports SMEs in taking concrete next steps toward scale-up, market readiness and long-term impact.

More information about the programme can be found here.