The world’s food system is under pressure, from climate stress, population growth, supply-chain gaps, to shifting dietary needs. The Seeding The Future Global Food System Challenge offers startups, scientists, social entrepreneurs, NGOs and research teams a chance to shape the future of food.
If you have an idea or project that makes food safer, more nutritious, more sustainable, or more accessible, this challenge could provide the boost you need to turn it into reality.
What the Challenge Offers
- Grants of USD 25,000 (Seed Grant) for early-stage or prototype-level innovations with strong potential.
- Larger support for advanced innovations: the competition also includes Growth Grants (USD 100,000) and grand-prize awards (USD 250,000) for scalable, high-impact solutions.
- Access to a global network: semifinalists and finalists are added to a dynamic innovation database and network, connecting you with potential collaborators, funders, research institutions, and global stakeholders.
- Opportunity to contribute to long-term transformation: the challenge looks for solutions that meet needs across three intersecting domains — food that is safe and nutritious; food produced sustainably; and food that is accessible, affordable and trusted.
If you are working on sustainable agriculture, climate-smart farming, food safety, waste reduction, supply-chain innovation or community nutrition — this challenge aims to support work like yours.
Who Should Apply
This challenge welcomes:
- Startups (for-profit or social enterprise) working on food system innovations.
- Research teams, universities, NGOs, civil-society organisations with prototypes or pilot projects.
- Multidisciplinary teams combining science, technology, business or social-impact expertise.
- Projects that go beyond ideas — innovations with evidence of feasibility or proof of concept.
Projects that are still at “idea only” stage may not pass — the organisers emphasise prototype or proof-of-concept as baseline.
How To Apply
- Visit the official page for Seeding the Future Global Food System Challenge
- Check that your project meets the focus-area criteria: safe & nutritious food, sustainability, accessibility & affordability.
- Prepare application materials: project description, proof of concept or prototype details, impact potential, scalability plan.
- Submit before the deadline — for this 2025 round, submissions close 15 December 2025.
- If shortlisted you may enter into further evaluation rounds, and potentially gain grant funding, mentorship, access to network, and support to scale your project.
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