Seeding the Future Global Food System Challenge

Hosted by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) and funded by the Seeding the Future Foundation, this Challenge supports innovations with significant impact at scale and over time, benefiting at least one or more of these intersecting domains: nutritious food for a healthy diet; sustainably produced; and accessible, appealing, affordable, and trusted by consumers.

IFT and the Seeding the Future Foundation invite scientists, engineers, innovators, entrepreneurs, and multidisciplinary teams from NGOs, nonprofits, social enterprises, universities, research institutions, and small/emerging for-profit enterprises to submit game-changing innovations to transform the food system.

About the Challenge:

Providing a growing global population with access to affordable, safe, and nutritious food while maintaining planetary health requires transformational changes in the food system. Advances in science and technology, and creative collaborations across cultures and disciplines, will lead to innovations with the potential for significant food system changes.

The Seeding the Future Global Food System Challenge aims to inspire and support innovative teams to create game-changing innovations.

Awards:

• The Challenge will provide monetary awards (grants and prizes) totaling up to one million USD annually.
• Three levels of awards will incentivize innovations at different development stages. Applications can only be submitted at one award level:
  • Seed Grants ($25,000 each): Awarded to organizations nurturing high-potential ideas with prototypes or initial proof of concept. Innovation must benefit at least one, ideally two domains, without negatively impacting others.
  • Growth Grants ($100,000 each): Awarded to organizations demonstrating feasibility and high-impact potential at scale. The innovation must benefit at least two, ideally three domains, with no negative impact on others.
  • Seeding the Future Grand Prizes ($250,000 each): Awarded to organizations with scalable, economically feasible, trusted, and consumer-compelling innovations demonstrating major impact potential. The innovation must benefit at least two, ideally three domains, with no negative impact on others.

Eligibility:

Eligible organizations include:

• Nonprofits located in any country.
• Academic or research institutions located in any country.
• Early-stage or emerging North American or European for-profit companies.

Individuals are not eligible. Teams of students or researchers may participate as part of their university or research institution’s submission. Organizations are encouraged to form teams; if a team is formed, one organization should serve as the applicant.

Criteria:

The Challenge supports innovations benefiting at least one intersecting domain and having significant impact potential at scale and over time. Selection prioritizes innovation and impact on people and the environment.