Following a carefully conducted evaluation process, eight organisations were selected to receive PREMIERE Seed-Funding support. All selected applicants met the eligibility criteria:
- they are practice-oriented organisations ,
- operate in an EU Member State,
- and are first-time participants in a Horizon Europe project.
In addition, the selected organisations demonstrated a clear and realistic activity plan and budget, and convincingly articulated the value they can bring to a Horizon Europe consortia.
These recipients represent the missing puzzle pieces that can strengthen multi-actor project partnerships. Their unique perspectives and practical experience help build more complete and resilient consortia that meet MAA (Multi-Actor Approach) requirements.
Meet the recipients
BIONALES – Citizens for Regional Agriculture and Food (Germany)
Who they are:
BIONALES is a civil society organisation (NGO/CSO) founded in 2017 and based in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Their interdisciplinary team includes researchers, practitioners, health economists and communication experts.
What they do:
They work toward a fair and sustainable transformation of agri-food systems. Their activities focus on regional organic value chains, citizen engagement, co-innovation, and local food policy, with strong involvement in projects like HELDENBOHNE and SIMONE.
What value they bring:
BIONALES provides access to a well-established LivingLab and regional network of producers, processors, policy makers and gastronomy actors. Their strengths include in-depth knowledge of the organic sector, co-creative innovation methods, public engagement, and the ability to design and pilot holistic concepts like circular economy and values-based supply chains.
How to contact them:
Contact person: Dr. Katharina Schulenburg
k.schulenburg@bionales.de
+49 173 2373928
www.bionales.de
LinkedIn: @Bionales | Instagram: @Ernaehrungsratfrankfurt
BIONEST CLUSTER (Romania)
Who they are:
BioNEst Cluster is a non-profit organisation (NGO) established in 2019 in North-Eastern Romania. It brings together over 25 members — including companies, research institutions, NGOs, and local actors — with the mission to promote sustainable agriculture, bio-based innovation, and rural development across the Iași, Bacău, Suceava, Neamț, Vaslui, and Botoșani counties.
What they do:
BioNEst Cluster works in sustainable agriculture and organic production, promoting agroecology, seed innovation, and certified organic products such as honey and vegetables. They develop and process bio-based products including nutraceuticals, essential oils, and natural cosmetics made from sea buckthorn, forest fruits, and medicinal plants. The cluster integrates eco-tourism and nature-based services, such as adventure parks, into rural economies to support rural entrepreneurship. They maintain strong collaborations with universities and research institutions, like the Romanian Academy – Iași Branch, to advance research and knowledge transfer. Additionally, BioNEst fosters community engagement and bottom-up innovation by supporting pilot projects and local empowerment. Acting as a well-connected regional and European network, they coordinate stakeholder mobilization and dissemination of project results.
What value they bring:
BioNEst Cluster has deep knowledge of the local challenges and opportunities in North-Eastern Romania. They have built trusted relationships with farmers, SMEs, local communities, and academic partners, enabling effective collaboration. The cluster has extensive experience in implementing sustainable, circular, and bio-based solutions within agri-food systems. They have a proven track record of connecting regional stakeholders with international partners and projects, facilitating cross-border cooperation. BioNEst has made relevant contributions to Horizon Europe Cluster 6 calls, particularly in areas such as biodiversity, circular bioeconomy, and environmental remediation.
How to contact them:
Contact person: Genoveva Cojocaru
asociatiabionestcluster@gmail.com
+40 787 865 616
https://bionestcluster.ro
FARM VOLK (Slovenia)
Who are they:
Farm Volk is a medium-sized ecological farm located in the western part of Slovenia, managing 18 hectares of cultivated land and 6 hectares of forest. The farm has been run by the same family for four generations, combining traditional farming knowledge with modern innovations.
What they do:
They focus primarily on horse breeding, supported by sheep and goats to maintain pastures, and cultivate organic vegetables and high-stem grazing orchards. In addition to farming, they offer unique social services and farm tourism experiences, such as sleeping on hay, attracting visitors from around the world. They also actively participate in various projects related to ecosystem services, nature restoration, and sustainable rural development.
What value do they bring:
Farm Volk acts as a living lab and lighthouse site for testing and monitoring socio-economic and environmental impacts of nature restoration and agricultural practices. They bring over 30 years of expertise in horse breeding, strong animal welfare commitment, hands-on agricultural and forestry skills, and experience with ecosystem services. Their wide network of partners, active media presence, and engagement in local societies enable effective knowledge exchange, project dissemination, and collaboration for sustainable farming solutions.
How to contact them:
Alenka Volk
alenkavolk@hotmail.com
+386 31 773 474
https://jahalnepocitnice.si/en/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/jahalnepocitnice
INTERPRETA NATURA (Spain)
Who are they:
Interpreta Natura is a non-profit organization based in Valencia, Spain, with 23 members. As newcomers to Horizon projects, they focus on conserving natural and cultural heritage through education, training, and community engagement. They actively promote biodiversity, rural development, agroecology, and forestry bioeconomy, with a special emphasis on fostering green skills and environmental responsibility among youth.
What they do:
They specialize in communication through storytelling and narrative techniques to raise awareness and foster engagement. Interpreta Natura leads land stewardship initiatives that combine environmentally friendly forestry practices with community participation. They participate in Living Labs such as the Rural Labscape, co-designing innovative solutions in biodiversity and forest bioeconomy. Their expertise includes agroecology, biodiversity conservation, sustainable land management, and supporting pilot projects for native species reintroduction and control. They design and lead participatory activities and educational programs, leveraging a strong network of educational centers, volunteers, and farming communities.
What value do they bring:
Interpreta Natura offers a unique combination of creative communication, hands-on experience in land stewardship, and extensive networks that enable effective pilot initiatives and dissemination. Their flexible team, in-house artists, and access to agricultural and forest areas make them a valuable partner capable of adapting to consortium needs and ensuring project success. Their experience in multi-actor projects and community-based approaches supports sustainable rural development and biodiversity conservation.
How to contact them:
Carmen Gimeno Suñer
carmeng@interpretayeduca.com
+34 696 05 82 87
https://interpretayeduca.com/
LinkedIn: @InterpretaNatura | Instagram: @InterpretaNatura | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretaeduca/
FARMING RATHGROGHAN (Ireland)
Who are they:
Farming Rathcroghan CLG is a community development organization and company limited by guarantee based in County Roscommon, Ireland. With a core team of 4 board directors and an operational group of 12 diverse stakeholders, the organization supports a unique farming community located in a highly sensitive archaeological landscape. The team includes a project manager, archaeologist, administrator, communications officer, and technician. Their mission is to preserve the area’s cultural heritage while fostering sustainable farming practices.
What they do:
Operating across a 38 km² archaeological landscape containing 240 archaeological features—70 of which are national monuments—Farming Rathcroghan trains and supports 60 farmers who are central to the project’s initiatives. They combine archaeology, agriculture, biodiversity, and climate-conscious practices into an integrated landscape management model. Their approach protects earthen monuments and promotes sustainable grassland management, while also building a strong community-led governance and delivery system for EU-funded projects.
What value they bring:
Farming Rathcroghan offers a best-practice model for managing heritage landscapes in harmony with agriculture. They have a proven record in managing over €2 million in EU funding and bring expertise in community-led governance, training programs, and innovation in landscape protection. Their flexible, multi-actor approach is backed by a professional, dedicated team. As part of a site proposed for UNESCO World Heritage status, they are keen to join a Horizon Europe consortium to exchange knowledge and scale their model.
How to contact them:
Richie Farrell
richie@farmingrathcroghan.ie
+353 86 170 4113
www.farmingrathcroghan.ie
NORTH HARJU LEADER ACTION GROUP (Estonia)
Who are they:
Põhja-Harju LEADER Action Group is a rural innovation hub and non-profit NGO established in 2008, operating in one of Estonia’s most dynamic rural regions. With 80 members—including 3 municipalities, 25 entrepreneurs, and 52 NGOs—it supports 24 villages across a 490 km² area with a population of over 54,000. The organization is deeply embedded in local life, with practicing village leaders at the helm, and acts as a key civil society actor at the intersection of grassroots action, digital innovation, and rural policy development.
What they do:
The group designs and implements community-led initiatives that address rural resilience, demographic adaptation, and smart development. They have over 17 years of experience in participatory implementation and are leaders in the Smart Villages approach. Their work combines digital maturity with strong stakeholder engagement—ranging from youth to the elderly and long-term unemployed—ensuring projects are not only inclusive but scalable and grounded in real community needs.
What value they bring:
Põhja-Harju offers a digitally advanced, socio-demographically diverse testbed ideal for piloting and scaling innovations. They bring proven capacity in co-creation, participatory governance, and community-based feedback mechanisms. Their strong links with municipalities, national agencies, universities, and NGOs allow them to serve as an effective interface between research and rural realities. As a flexible and experienced grassroots partner, they contribute real-time relevance, trusted access, and hands-on implementation to any Horizon Europe consortium.
How to contact them:
Signe Valdmann
signe@leaderph.eu
+372 5748 3466
https://leaderph.eu/
R1ng R&D (Slovenia)
Who are they:
R1ng d.o.o. is a Slovenian SME specialized in research and development, with expertise spanning IT, IoT, process optimization, agriculture, and project management. Since 2018, they have been leading EIP and RRI projects across Europe. The company operates as both a project initiator and a reliable partner, known for its cross-disciplinary skills, multilingual team, and excellent coordination capacity. They are committed to teamwork, professionalism, and building equal partnerships.
What they do:
R1ng initiates, coordinates, and implements complex projects, with particular strengths in vertical farming, digital agriculture, and community-based food systems. They bring together innovative technologies and practical applications—from controlled-environment agriculture to logistics optimization and decision-support tools. Their approach integrates technical development with social relevance and environmental responsibility.
What value they bring:
R1ng contributes deep technical knowledge, strong project leadership, and a proven track record in EU-funded initiatives such as Deblo++ (Top 10 EIP forestry digitalization project in 2024). They combine regenerative farming principles with cutting-edge digital tools and short supply chain models. Fluent in multiple languages and active across German-speaking and Adriatic regions, they offer legal literacy, excellent budget execution, and the ability to connect actors from farm to fork.
How to contact them:
Martin Butina
martin@r1ng.eu
+386 51 669 177
www.r1ng.eu
NATIONAL UNION OF AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVES FROM THE VEGETAL SECTOR (U.N.C.S.V.) (Romania)
Who are they:
The National Union of Agricultural Cooperatives from the Vegetal Sector (U.N.C.S.V.) is a Romanian NGO established in 2017. It represents 63 agricultural cooperatives and over 800 farmers in the vegetable sector. Created by and for cooperatives, the Union advocates for their interests at both national and European levels. U.N.C.S.V. is an active member of COPA-COGECA and plays a key role in aligning Romanian agricultural practices with EU policies.
What they do:
U.N.C.S.V. supports sustainable agriculture, cooperative governance, and rural development through national and international projects, including Erasmus+ initiatives. It promotes digital education, good marketing practices, and fair access to markets for farmers. With a large farmer network and strong ties to institutions and authorities, U.N.C.S.V. is a bridge between grassroots agricultural needs and policy innovation.
What value they bring:
U.N.C.S.V. offers expertise in cooperative agriculture, EU agricultural policy, farmer training, and stakeholder engagement. Their hands-on experience in multi-actor projects and communication makes them an ideal partner for awareness-raising initiatives. Their capacity to identify real needs in the farming sector and facilitate cooperation among farmers, researchers, and policymakers adds significant value to any Horizon Europe consortium.
How to contact them:
Florentin Bercu
florentinbercu@uncsv.ro
+40 722 156 961
www.uncsv.ro
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncsv