Call for Applications: UN FAO WFF Startup Innovation Awards (USD 10,000 cash reward + USD 1,500 stipend towards travel for each finalists)
Closing Date: 22 May 2025
Call for Applications: UN FAO WFF Startup Innovation Awards (USD 10,000 cash reward + USD 1,500 stipend towards travel for each finalists)
UN FAO WFF Startup Innovation Awards 2025
The World Food Forum Startup Innovation Awards, powered by Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC), is a global startup competition established to support and showcase innovators and entrepreneurs who are harnessing the power of technology to drive the sustainable transformation of agrifood systems in support of ending global hunger and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
The finalists will pitch live in front of corporate leaders, venture capitalists, governmental agencies, and other entrepreneurs during the World Food Forum Flagship in Rome, Italy, on October 15, 2025.
Competition Timeline
Application Deadline: May 22, 2025
Notify Semi-Finalists: June 30, 2025
Notify Finalists: July 21, 2025
Public Announcement of Finalists: August 2025
Live Pitch Event & Announcement of Winners at World Food Forum Flagship: October 15, 2025
UN FAO WFF Startup Innovation Awards Logistics
All initial and semifinals judging will be virtual – offline or by web-meetings. The ultimate 8 Finalists (2 each in 4 categories) will be judged live in Rome, Italy on October 15, 2025, and each will receive a stipend of USD 1,500 towards travel expenses.
How your startup will be judged by XTC
Applications should demonstrate how their solutions can significantly contribute to meeting the goals of their chosen category. Additionally, the competition selects for the most investable, high-return business venture – addressing the above criteria with credible potential for global scale-up and impact based on the following:
TEAM: Team’s credential and experience
• Is the team uniquely qualified to build this startup? • Do they strongly understand their customers and their industry? • Do they have the determination and endurance to carry this through to completion?
PRODUCT/SERVICE INNOVATION: The level of innovation of the product or service
• Is this a disruptive innovation that creates a new market and/or a new value-ecosystem that displaces or radically modernizes an existing industry? • Is it differentiated from competitive or substitute offerings?
PRODUCT MARKET FIT: Proof of commercial scalability and market size to support growth and profitability
• Are targeted customers using/buying its product/service? • Can the startup show their product/service will scale enough in the addressable market for sufficient growth/profit to be an attractive investment?
TECH FOR BETTER FOOD SYSTEMS: Largest, most scalable, global and durable impact on the focus topic of their chosen category.
Looking for companies:
- in Sustainable Agriculture, Food Safety, Food Processing, Sustainability Initiatives, Water Conservation, Agri-Food Distribution, Novel Farming Systems, Food & Nutrition Composition, Food Waste Prevention, Sustainable Foods, Smart Water Grids, Water Loss Management, Circular Economy, Conservation Agriculture (CA), Agricultural IoT, Agricultural Analytics, Environment, Climate Change Adaptation, Food Technology, Environmental Sustainability
- located in Africa, Asia, Australia/NZ, Caribbean, Eastern Europe, Europe, Middle East, North America, South America
- incorporated
- prototype, users or paying users stage
- Angel, Pre-seed, Seed or Series A
- have raised funding or not
- currently raising or not raising funds
- have revenue or not
Click Here To Apply
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