The Business Factory Food (BFFood) has already opened the registration period for its 8th edition, offering a unique growth opportunity for all those startups in the […]
Call for Applications | World Food Forum: Startup Innovation Awards 2026
The World Food Forum (WFF), an independent global initiative driven by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), is launching the call for the Startup Innovation Awards 2026.
This global competition seeks to identify, support and give visibility to young entrepreneurs and startups that are using technology and innovation to transform agrifood systems, fight hunger and advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In this edition, the Business Factory Food (BFFood) is actively collaborating with the World Food Forum, as part of its commitment to boosting Galicia’s foodtech ecosystem.
Purpose of the call
To award and accelerate technological and digital solutions with an impact on the agrifood sector. Applications must fall within one of the following four key categories:
- Digital innovation in food processing: Technologies to improve sustainability, efficiency and resilience in food processing, preservation and packaging.
- Fighting malnutrition and improving food security: Scalable solutions to strengthen value chains and improve access to healthy diets.
- Improving climate resilience and water management: Technologies for climate change adaptation and the sustainable use of water resources in agriculture.
- Empowering women in agrifood systems: Inclusive innovations that improve women’s participation, access to finance, markets and training.
Beneficiaries
The call is aimed at youth-led startups that meet the following requirements:
- Have at least one founder or executive (C-level) aged between 18 and 35.
- Have raised less than approximately €5 million in capital and generated less than €1.5 million in sales.
- Have demonstrable traction and validated evidence of the solution (pilot programmes, early adoption, partnerships or impact metrics).
- Demonstrate the potential for scalability and growth of the innovation.
Prizes and Special Awards 2026
Finalist and winning startups will receive:
- Cash prizes: USD 7.500 for the winners of each category and USD 2,500 for finalists. The global winner (“Startup of the Year”) will receive an additional USD 10,000 provided by Seeding The Future Foundation.
- Business acceleration: Invitation to the MassChallenge Switzerland Accelerator programme in Lausanne (Switzerland), with world-class mentoring, workshops and access to a broad network of corporate partners.
- Participation in the World Food Forum: Financial support for two members of finalist teams to attend the WFF flagship event at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy (October 2026).
- International visibility: Promotion opportunities through the WFF’s global platforms and access to investor networks.
- Special Award – Excellence in Applied AI (XTC): The Extreme Tech Challenge platform will grant special recognition for the innovative use of artificial intelligence. The winner will gain access to XTC’s global investor ecosystem, receive promotion through its media channels, and be invited to attend its flagship annual AI conference in California (USA) in November 2026.
Key dates
Convening bodies: World Food Forum (WFF) and MassChallenge Switzerland.
The selection and acceleration process includes the following key dates:
- April 1, 2026: Deadline for submitting applications.
- May 19, 2026: Announcement of the selected startups.
- June 29 to July 10, 2026: In-person acceleration bootcamp in Lausanne, Switzerland.
- September 29, 2026: Online Demo Day and selection of finalists.
- October 12 to 16, 2026: Final pitch and awards ceremony during the WFF flagship event at FAO headquarters (Rome).
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