EXIST Grant Awarded to Geisenheim Soy Start-up

Nino Griebel, Sonja Kricheldorf and Phillip Kaapke are the team behind Revoja. © Revoja

A 100% plant-based yogurt drink made with the by-products of soy production – with this innovative idea, three young founders from Hochschule Geisenheim University and Justus Liebig University Giessen set off on their entrepreneurial journey in 2023. The efforts of the team behind Revoja has now been rewarded with a highly sought-after EXIST start-up grant from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.

The idea behind Revoja began during the 2023 Drink Innovation Challenge organized by Gründungsfabrik Rheingau, where the team took first place. From there, the team went from strength to strength: in June 2024, the start-up won the sustainability prize at the IDEA Slam competition at Justus Liebig University Giessen, participated in the HessenIdeen scholarship program, and completed the EIT Seedbed Incubator, a European accelerator for the food and agricultural sectors. In May 2025, Revoja was also accepted into the Growth Alliance Start-up Academy in Frankfurt.

Since May, the team has also been receiving funding through the EXIST start-up grant from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. Through Hochschule Geisenheim University, the three scholarship holders will receive funding for a period of one year.

Partners Needed for Product Launch

Revoja is currently in production for the Hessen Ideen “future of food” crowdfunding contest after raising over €10,000 on the crowdfunding platform Startnext. Supporters will receive their rewards this summer, including three flavors of the plant-based yogurt drink and exclusive merchandise.

At the same time, Revoja is expanding its product range: in addition to the yogurt drinks, other soy-based products are in development. At every step, the founders remain committed to upcycling and circular economy principles to counteract food waste in soy production.

Initial partnership discussions with local retailers are already underway. The start-up is actively seeking cooperation partners in the food service and retail sectors, and are also hoping to expand their team with a motivated co-founder with a passion for food innovation. 

To get in touch, contact the Revoja team at info(at)revoja.de.

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Revoja

Categories: MyHGU-App, Mein-Netzwerk, Gründungsfabrik Rheingau, Getränketechnologie (M.Sc.), Getränketechnologie (B.Sc.), Getränkeforschung