Eatpol – for food products people love

Founder Michele Tufano envisions Eatpol as the go-to company for organisations looking to launch new food products. Today, around 85% of newly introduced food products disappear from the market within two years. Drawing on his PhD in AI and eating behaviour at Wageningen University & Research (WUR), Michele developed a method that allows products to be tested directly in people’s kitchens, generating real-world insights. This approach helps food brands better understand their customers and create products that people love.

From PhD to Eatpol

During his PhD, which was co-funded by the EFRO INTO-EAT project, Michele created software to measure how quickly people eat, under the supervision of Guido Camps. He explains that eating more slowly is important because it gives the brain time to signal fullness, which can help reduce overall food consumption. Other researchers in the Human Nutrition and Health department at WUR study, for instance, how modifying food texture can encourage people to chew more. However, this type of analysis, like counting chews and bites, is often performed manually by students. Michele aimed to automate this process using an AI model. As he developed the technology with support of OnePlanet Research Center, he began to see its broader potential, and a PhD entrepreneurship course at WUR inspired him to pursue the idea as a spin-off from his research. Since the beginning of 2026, Eatpol is formally recognised as a science-based and impact-driven spin-off of WUR, built on knowledge developed in Wageningen.

Today, Eatpol allows companies to analyse the full customer experience. It starts with an AI interviewer that asks targeted questions about the product the company wants to develop. This platform, for example, interprets branding labels and nutritional information and gives tailored advice. From there, testing participants document their full product journey at home on camera: opening the package, preparing the food, eating it, and storing it. The analysis of these real-life insights goes far beyond traditional sterile and artificial testing booths. In this way, Eatpol aspires to help companies uncover the emotional, practical, and sensory drivers behind consumer decisions.

Support turning research into reality

But, Michele didn’t get there without help. After the EFRO INTO-EAT project ended, he joined the Wageningen Impact Catalyst programme at Starthub Wageningen and received a Road to Innovation Grant. The grant allowed him to take the time to do market validation. He explains that this was an essential step. Through dozens of conversations with scientists and industry professionals, he discovered that companies were not only interested in texture or eating speed, but in the entire customer journey: why consumers choose a product, how they prepare it, what they believe about it, and what makes them come back for more. Texture, in particular, emerged as a critical challenge for companies developing plant-based foods, where it often determines whether consumers accept or reject a product.

Just as valuable as the funding was the programme. Michele explains that the network that the programme offered allowed him to learn from other entrepreneurs. The programme, including the courses and the reading material, helped him on his way. He mentioned: ‘You choose the level of commitment, so they give you the tools, and then it’s up to you to put the work in.’ For him, immersing himself in recommended books on entrepreneurship helped him grow and develop further. The experience not only shaped his own path but also inspired people around him to explore entrepreneurship. He believes that few people know what is possible at WUR, so he really recommends people to take the leap.

The expertise in business of Eatpol co-founder Jakob Romberg has been essential for reaching the next stage. Together, they have launched Eatpol’s first paid pilot, are collaborating with Oost NL, and are participating in the 14th cohort of StartLife, while continuing to expand conversations with new clients. The vision is clear: to scale the platform and support companies through ongoing partnerships and yearly subscriptions. By putting real human experiences at the centre of product development, Michele and his team are helping companies create food that people don’t just try once but choose, trust, and love.

Michele’s book recommendations

• Customer validation
  • The Mom Test — Rob Fitzpatrick
• Startup fundamentals
  • Zero to One — Peter Thiel
  • The Lean Startup — Eric Ries
  • The $100 Startup — Chris Guillebeau
•  Sales, strategy, and marketing
  • To Sell Is Human — Daniel H. Pink
  • Purple Cow — Seth Godin
  • Building a StoryBrand — Donald Miller
• Business and operations
  • Slicing Pie Handbook (EU Edition) — Mike Moyer