We build new companies that accelerate a circular and regenerative food system

The final goal of the program is to have a validated solution idea to a problem you identify during the program -  a solution that you then enter the Fresh Studio with to further develop with your team. 
To reach this goal, we help you to critically understand challenges in the food system from a systemic point of view. Secondly, we facilitate co-founder matching with inspiring people from all over Europe. Thirdly, we guide you through the process of going from a challenge area to an investable business idea.

1. The program will provide you with the opportunity to found a mission-driven venture by matching with complementary entrepreneurs in the cohort
2. We will also help you identify, test, and refine solutions with a systemic impact, rather than burden-shift solutions or develop short-sighted quick wins
3. You get the chance to work on your ideas with day-to-day feedback, and access to an extensive network of beneficiaries, subject matter experts, and mentors to co-design, test, and validate your ideas with

The program will be delivered in two main parts.
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The first month is an online, part-time journey focused on building systemic knowledge of the food system, personal mission development, and beginning the co-founder matching process. 
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The second part takes place after a winter break, when we will meet in Rotterdam for the full-time part of the program. During these three months, you will move from ‘problem loving’ - digging into the food system even deeper to understand where the opportunity areas are and why - to ideating and testing potential solutions. The final month will focus on prototyping one solution direction with relevant stakeholders and beneficiaries. 
Key to this journey will be the focus on forming a strong founding team, and working towards an investable business idea.

No, when you are accepted, you commit to the entire program. The winter break facilitates a recharge and gives space for relocating to Rotterdam for the in-person part of the Program.

Our commitment is to help people found a high-impact venture which transforms the food system. To enable this, we will work closely with you over the duration of the program - benefiting from our expertise in systems thinking and the food system as well as venture development and teaming, like finding your co-founder. We will also engage a core set of mentors and subject matter experts from our ecosystem who will support you with their expertise - whether insight from the food system, or with practical expertise in venture development. We will also connect you to relevant stakeholders - such as end beneficiaries (i.e. food manufacturers, farmers etc.) who will be critical in the validation of your venture solution. We will be announcing new mentors and partners over the coming months before the program begins in November.

No, you do not need a team to apply for the Fresh program. In fact, one of the purposes of the Fresh program is to support individuals find and build a team as they identify a problem they’re committed to solving.

Yes, you can apply with an existing team. However, Fresh is not an accelerator program; we work with participants to truly understand the challenges in the food system and develop innovative solutions that can address critical barriers. Each team member will need to apply separately, you should come with an open mind, and you should be okay with the theoretical possibility that a new person joins your team.

That’s okay too. There are many examples of entrepreneurs going at it alone in the beginning, and matches are not always easy to find. However, when it comes to selecting which ventures enter the studio, a well balanced team in sync with each other will be one of the criteria we’ll take into consideration.

No, you don’t. Some participants may come into Fresh with an existing idea, others will be in full exploration mode. While having an existing idea can be valuable pre-thinking, Fresh provides an opportunity to take a step back and fully understand what’s needed to create transformative change. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t have an idea before you enter the program, and if you do have one, it’s important to come in with a critical and open mind.

Yes, you can but keep in mind that Fresh is a pre-idea program and not an accelerator program. We start with deeply and further understanding the problems inherent in the food system. We ask every participant to take a step back from any ideas or preconceptions to take a fresh, critical look at their assumptions and idea development.

Yes and no. If it’s a grant or a small investment amount in a general direction, then yes. But if it’s a serious seed investment, to us that implies that you’re already quite path-committed to an existing plan and deviating from that path would be problematic for you or your stakeholders. We want to ensure that participants have maximum flexibility when it comes to understanding the problems and designing solutions.

Yes, generally speaking. There are no IP agreements and you are entitled to work on any ideas that come to you during or after the program. However, Fresh does not sign NDAs with participants entering our program or entrepreneurs more broadly. You can protect your idea through standard legal means, but otherwise it becomes part of a toolkit of potential solutions for others, including participants in future cohorts, to solve problems. 

We aim to build ventures that address a systemic challenge by solving key barriers to structural, accelerated change. For the first few years, Fresh will focus on farmer-centric solutions that accelerate the transition of the cultivation side of the food chain: regenerative agri- and aquaculture and ‘landless’ farming systems. For a more elaborate answer, and a list of good examples of ventures, please read our blog under 'stories'.

Yes! Fresh is looking for a diverse mix of people. Business-minded individuals, domain experts, and technical people of different stripes are all needed to create well balanced teams. Often what we see is that people from very different fields are capable of approaching these challenges in unique and innovative ways.

Yes! Not only will you have the opportunity to pair yourself with someone who is stronger on the business side of things, but the Fresh program and Studio are designed to develop and compliment your skills in that area. We also have a broad network of experienced entrepreneurs who can guide you during the program.

We require all participants to locate to (or close to) Rotterdam for the physical part of the Program, which takes place from February 2022 until the end of April 2022, so expect to move to the Netherlands in January 2022 to get set-up! Covid-19 has illustrated that more remote opportunities should be embraced, but building relationships with other potential co-founders and teammates ultimately requires proximity. Relationships are built over dinners, drinks, and struggling through a challenging process together, not over video chat.

Currently, the Fresh program is available only to those with EU citizenship, residence, or a visa that enables them to participate. We are working to make it possible for international applicants from outside the EU and without existing working permissions to join the Fresh program in the future, but for now it’s unfortunately not possible.

No, the program is delivered free-of-cost to participants. We view it as an essential investment in capacity building and building early progress.

Yes, Fresh offers €500 per month per participant to cover some of the basic living expenses, or for resources towards your venture during the physical part of the program.

Yes, we help participants with housing. At minimum, we’ll make sure everyone receives guidance that simplifies the process, can access proven resources, and can coordinate with other participants.

The first digital starting part of the program, from mid November until mid December, is a much lighter commitment. It takes place during two weekday evenings and Saturday each week, which makes it possible to do alongside an existing full-time commitment. However, the physical program (Feb - May) is a full-time commitment and must have participants’ full attention.

The digital leg of the program, from mid November until mid December, is designed so that it’s possible to do next to a full-time job. However, by joining the entire Fresh program, you commit to making yourself fully available during the physical leg of the program from February to early May, which cannot be done next to a job.

In general, we do not allow accepted applicants to defer their participation. A lot can happen in a year, and our focus areas for future programs may shift. However, we will work with accepted applicants to defer their participation for cases due to extenuating circumstances.

Yes. The final deadline for the first cohort is September 30th, 2021. But we will accept individuals on a rolling basis, so the earlier you get your application in the better.

At the end of the program, venture teams will have the opportunity to join the Fresh Studio to co-found and build their venture with us. That decision needs to be a mutual choice; should either the venture team or Fresh not see an ideal fit, the venture team is free to continue building the venture on their own. If there is a match, we deliver an investment proposal to our investment committee and core investors to make a decision about in which teams they would like to invest.

Yes, our ventures that enter the studio receive roughly EUR 100,000 in investment as seed capital. This capital is provided by a group of core investors who are aligned with the principles of Fresh. We also work with entrepreneurs to bring in relevant funding from grants, subsidies, and early customers to resource early venture building efforts.

Find more detailed information on how we structure and finance ventures when they join in this blog: How we revolutionize ownership and why it helps us transform the food system

Yes, when you transfer to the studio we co-found the venture alongside you. We see the program support, fundraising, network development, extensive recruitment, opportunity due diligence, and our hands-on support as part of our investment. However, Fresh is adopting a Steward Ownership model which has a big impact on how shares are dealt with. Steward Ownership splits decision-making and profit-sharing rights and creates multiple types of stakes and shares.

You as founder will receive 100% of the exclusive decision-making shares, meaning you have the hands on the steering wheel. As a founder, you will also have a non-tradable economic share. With a capped return that you as a founder receive for the hard work, the risk you take, and investment you are making at an early stage.

Investors will receive no decision-making rights. They will however receive economic rights which involve a capped return on their investment. After these investors have received this return, the shares are dissolved. 
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Fresh, as co-founder in the ventures, receives non-voting shares with a predefined capped return on our investment. We calculate our investment as a co-founder at 100k. After we have earned a predetermined return over our initial investment, the shares are dissolved and the venture is able to run autonomously. 

The Studio is an institutionalised co-founder that supports the venture on a day-to-day basis in the first 2-3 years of its development. The studio takes a hands-on approach and works alongside the entrepreneurial team to organize capital, connect to expertise, build a team, and deal with a lot of the nitty gritty like legal, accounting, design, and finding early customers. The objective of the studio is to help ventures it builds become fully autonomous as they find success and traction.