UN World Food Forum Startup Innovation Awards 2025

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Extreme Tech Challenge at...

UN World Food Forum Startup Innovation Awards 2025

In partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and sponsored by Seeding the Future Foundation, Smart Sensors 4 Agri Food, Kilburn & Strode & MassChallenge Switzerland we are proud to launch our 5th annual World Food Forum Startup Innovation Awards!

Technological and digital innovations play a critical role in the future of agrifood systems. To address the unprecedented challenges we are facing, we need to find new, actionable, scalable, investable, innovative and inclusive solutions that respond to the complex, interrelated nature of global agrifood systems.

Through the Startup Innovation Awards, we are seeking to identify, elevate and accelerate the youth-led startups who show the greatest potential for a positive impact to transform agrifood systems across the four categories for 2025: Digital innovation in food processing, equitable and sustainable nutrition, enhancing climate resilience, driving innovation in agrifood systems

8 Finalists will be invited* to the World Food Forum in Rome, Italy to compete for winning their category and across categories for a Startup of the Year Award. *$1,500 travel stipend provided. Category Winners will receive a prize of $5,000 USD and the Overall Startup Innovation of the Year will receive a prize of $10,000.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON CATEGORIES, PRIZES AND BENEFITS PLEASE SEE THE UN WORLD FOOD FORUM’S STARTUP AWARDS SITE HERE

SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION HERE BY MAY 22, 2025

UN World Food Forum Startup Innovation Awards 2025

Event Date October 15, 2025

Location Rome

Entries Open April 16, 2025

Entries Close May 22, 2025

Competition

Categories

Digital Innovation in Food Processing

Startups developing cutting-edge solutions to enhance the sustainability, efficiency and resilience of food processing systems. This award celebrates innovations transforming how raw food materials are processed, preserved, and packaged using data-driven insights, smart equipment and connected platforms that optimize every step of the food processing chain.

Equitable and Sustainable Nutrition

Startups driving inclusive solutions to ensure access to nutritious, sustainable food for all. This award recognizes innovations across food production, distribution and consumption that promote health and well-being, making nutritious food more accessible, affordable, and equitable for communities everywhere.

Enhancing Climate Resilience

Startups developing innovative solutions to tackle the urgent challenges of climate change and water scarcity. This award recognizes technologies and practices that promote sustainable water management, strengthen resilience to climate change and support the long-term sustainability of agrifood systems and the communities that depend on them.

Driving Innovation in Agrifood Systems

Startups developing digital innovations that enhance the sustainability, efficiency and resilience of agrifood systems. This award highlights the use of technologies such as IoT, AI, blockchain, automation, drones, robotics and advanced data analytics to optimize resource use, reduce environmental impact and promote long-term sustainability across the agrifood value chain.

5,000+

Startup applications across 120+ countries, covering a wide spectrum of tech vertical and funding stages

$4.4B

Venture Capital Funding Raised by XTC Startup Finalists (2015-2023)

350+

VCs and CVCs on the XTC Evaluation Committee, Global Partners

36%

Female Founded finalists

Jules Hammond
BeFC

“Alone you can go fast, together we can go farther. With Extreme Tech Challenge, BeFC received expert guidance and support to refine our pitch, to connect with key opinion leaders across relevant industries and present in front of top investors.”

Susan Payne
Sustainable Planet

“I loved working with XTC and the World Food Forum because of the attention and direction they gave to each of their selected participants. I enjoyed all the people involved, including many specialists, and the thoughtful laser-beam focus they provided to each of us in one-on-ones”

Karthi Chakaravarty
EarthEn

“Extreme Tech Challenge and its ecosystem are grounded in the high-energy, breakthrough-focused culture of Silicon Valley, and we immediately met investors and corporates we haven’t met elsewhere!”

Helena Samodurova
Incooling

“It’s been a great experience for me and for Incooling. The experience of coming to the USA for the Global Finals was unbeatable. These were clearly the folks anyone would want to get in front of, and we have between 5 and 10 direct follow-ups interested in investment!”

Buffy Okeke
Zebra Cropbank

“It's like someone applied jet fuel to our efforts!”

Andy Lüring
LUMO Labs

“I was asked to become an advisory board member of The Next Web, and to me it was very logical to connect The Next Web with Extreme Tech Challenge. That’s why today we have the first Extreme Tech Challenge startup competition. It was a really big success!”

Kinga Matuła
QurieGen

“I thank Extreme Tech Challenge for perfect preparation for the whole event at TNW. The communication was extremely good. We hope we can leverage the Extreme Tech Challenge organization to unlock more opportunities for our company in Europe but also scale to the U.S. I think good ”

Key dates

April 16

Application open

May 22

Application deadline

June 30

Semi-finalists notification

July 24

Finalist selection & invitation to the WFF flagship event

October 15

SIA Finals at FAO headquarters, Rome, Italy

Empowering startups to innovate across 10 key XTC categories, inspired by the United Nations' 17 Sustainability Development Goals

Frequently asked questions

The following frequently asked questions may help answer any queries you have about XTC, what this competition involves, and what is required to participate. If your question isn't answered here please check our dedicated FAQ support page, otherwise don't hesitate to get in touch.

What are the requirements to participate?

How do I know if my start-up is eligible to enter XTC?

If we already have funding, can we still apply to XTC?

Does it cost anything to apply to XTC?

What is the timeline for submissions?

Event sponsors

NEWSLETTER

Announcing the 2025 Startup Innovation Awards

UN World Food Forum Startup Innovation Awards 2025

Categories

Digital Innovation in Food Processing

Equitable and Sustainable Nutrition

Enhancing Climate Resilience

Driving Innovation in Agrifood Systems

5,000+

$4.4B

350+

36%

“Alone you can go fast, together we can go farther. With Extreme Tech Challenge, BeFC received expert guidance and support to refine our pitch, to connect with key opinion leaders across relevant industries and present in front of top investors.”

“I loved working with XTC and the World Food Forum because of the attention and direction they gave to each of their selected participants. I enjoyed all the people involved, including many specialists, and the thoughtful laser-beam focus they provided to each of us in one-on-ones”

“Extreme Tech Challenge and its ecosystem are grounded in the high-energy, breakthrough-focused culture of Silicon Valley, and we immediately met investors and corporates we haven’t met elsewhere!”

“It’s been a great experience for me and for Incooling. The experience of coming to the USA for the Global Finals was unbeatable. These were clearly the folks anyone would want to get in front of, and we have between 5 and 10 direct follow-ups interested in investment!”

“It's like someone applied jet fuel to our efforts!”

“I was asked to become an advisory board member of The Next Web, and to me it was very logical to connect The Next Web with Extreme Tech Challenge. That’s why today we have the first Extreme Tech Challenge startup competition. It was a really big success!”

“I thank Extreme Tech Challenge for perfect preparation for the whole event at TNW. The communication was extremely good. We hope we can leverage the Extreme Tech Challenge organization to unlock more opportunities for our company in Europe but also scale to the U.S. I think good ”

Key dates

Empowering startups to innovate across 10 key XTC categories, inspired by the United Nations' 17 Sustainability Development Goals

Frequently asked questions

Event sponsors

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