Plant-forward incubator Kickstarting For Good (K4G) has opened applications for its 2026 cohort, offering more than $1 million in seed funding to graduates, up from approximately $330,000 in 2025.
Graduates can receive a minimum of $10,000 upon completing the programme, with a maximum of up to $100,000 available to those who pitch in front of a jury at the Plant Food System Summit in Berlin this November. K4G has also secured matching grants, meaning graduates can double any additional funding they raise independently after completing the programme.
Development grants for promising applicants who don’t make the cut
New for 2026, K4G will award development grants of up to $12,000 to strong applicants that do not secure a place on the full programme. Founder Sebastian Joy explained the rationale: “In 2025, we were grateful to receive more than 950 applications for just 30 places on our incubation programme. Many of the submissions that reach the final stages of our application process are high-potential ideas being worked on by extremely talented people, but they just need a little more time to develop or prove the idea before they are ready to join the cohort.
“Supporting these promising initiatives with seed grants allows the founders to keep working on the ideas so that they can apply again for the following year with better data, more proof, or just another twelve months of progress under their belts,” he continued.
Deadline approaching
The 18-week programme selects around 30 participants and combines remote learning with two in-person sessions in Berlin, with travel and accommodation covered for all participants. It supports nonprofit initiatives across food systems, advocacy, media, law, and movement infrastructure rather than commercial food ventures.
Applications are open until 31 May 2026, with the virtual phase beginning in July and the first Berlin session in September. K4G encourages submissions from around the world, including the Global South.
