Seeding The Future Challenge Names Semifinalists and Finalists for Grand Prize and Seed Grants
CHICAGO – March 20, 2025 – Seeding The Future Foundation and the Institute of Food Technologists are proud to announce the Grand Prize and Growth Grant semifinalists as well as the Seed Grant finalists for the 2024 Seeding The Future Global Food System Challenge. A record of nearly 1,200 submissions were received this year from scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, and multidisciplinary teams from 93 countries, each showcasing their groundbreaking innovations that have the potential to address the most critical food system challenges.
Ultimately, 13 winners will be awarded part of the USD $1 million in prize funding, including up to eight Seed Grant winners ($25,000 each), up to three Growth Grant winners ($100,000 each), and up to two Seeding The Future Grand Prize winners ($250,000 each).
Submissions opened on September 9, 2024, and closed on January 6, 2025. Over the last two months, submissions have been carefully evaluated and scored based on their novelty and projected impact on people’s lives and the environment by globally recognized and accomplished experts across various science and technology disciplines.
“The submissions this year far surpassed our expectations as the Challenge has quickly established itself as an important global competition focusing on issues food systems are facing. The need for transformative innovations to address those issues grows more urgent every day, and we at the Seeding The Future Foundation are inspired by the abundance of creative and passionate innovator teams and entrepreneurs developing truly novel and impactful innovations,” said Bernhard van Lengerich, founder of the Seeding The Future Foundation.
All semifinal applicants will join the Seeding The Future Global Food System Innovation Database and Network currently in development. This peer-reviewed, interactive database will showcase innovations to global organizations such as the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme, as well as philanthropic organizations and the investment community, fostering opportunities for funding and collaboration.
Here is a complete list of this year’s Grand Prize and Growth Grant semifinalists as well as the Seed Grant finalists:
GRAND PRIZE SEMFINALISTS
• ABALOBI: ICTs, Market Access and Food Security for Small-scale Fisheries (South Africa). ABALOBI’s digital tools and training programs help small-scale fishers – 85% of the fisher population in Africa – adapt to climate change. ABALOBI’s digital tools help fishers better interact with their government and financial stakeholders; training programs target women and vulnerable populations who can greatly benefit from quality data and greater visibility.
• Agro Supply: How to Produce Aflatoxin-Free Maize and Fortified Maize Flour to Ugandan Consumers (Uganda). Uganda loses $38 million yearly due to aflatoxin-contaminated grain. Agro Supply’s ozone technology removes carcinogenic aflatoxins and produces aflatoxin-free fortified flour for local consumers across East African markets.
• D-Olivette: The 1,000,000 Closed-Loop Homes & Farms Project (Nigeria). D-Olivette’s AI and IoT-enabled biodigesters transform organic waste into renewable energy and livestock feed. The 1,000,000 Closed-Loop Homes & Farms Project cultivates collaborations with global organizations and governments to deliver sustainable energy, regenerative agriculture, and economic growth to underserved communities, aiming to impact 1,000,000 households and farms by 2030, especially in Africa.
• BIKI: BIKI Point: End-to-End Food Rescue Point in Fruit and Vegetable Packing House (Indonesia). BIKI addresses resource waste, habitat degradation, and biodiversity loss in food supply chains in Sumatra, Bali, and Nusa Tenggara. BIKI provides: a multi-functional biotechnology product to increase plant immune systems; a natural edible coating doubling the shelf life of fruits and vegetables; and a traceability system to empower farmers, businesses, and consumers.
• Oorja Development Solutions India Private Limited: Scaling Climate-Smart Farming Solutions: Bundling Pay-Per-Use Irrigation with Sustainable Advisory Services for Smallholders (India). Oorja provides a Pay-Per-Use (PPU) farm-based service package to smallholders in India, including water pumps powered by decentralized solar energy. Oorja’s comprehensive package also includes soil testing, seed supply, on-site training in sustainable practices, and a mobile app.
• Prolific Earth Sciences: Geospatial Mapping of Soil Microorganisms: Tracking Soil Microbial Biomass in Pursuit of Sustainable Soil and Food production (United States). Prolific Earth Science’s affordable MicroBIOMETER test kit measures microbial biomass carbon, a key indicator of soil health. The kit allows users to test a wide geographic area and track the effects of regenerative soil practices over time. An accompanying microbiome database helps producers make data-driven decisions for targeted soil management.
• PT Seaweedtama Biopac: Harnessing the Potential of Seaweed as Versatile Packaging Material to Stop Nanoplastic Contamination in the Human Body (Indonesia). PT Seaweedtama converts seaweed into versatile bio-packaging options, such as edible sachets, cups, and cookie envelopes. This innovation mitigates plastic waste pollution and safeguards consumers from nanoplastic contamination.
• Savory Institute: KENYA MARA Regenerating Traditional Foods, Lands & Livelihoods through Maasai Conservancies (United States). A 2023 Grand Prize finalist, Savory Institute’s Kenya MARA program helps Maasai herders graze their livestock on nature conservancies, supporting land regeneration and their traditional animal-based diet.
GROWTH GRANT SEMIFINALISTS
• Boundless Haven Solutions: Harvesting Food Security: Redefining Food Systems with Climate-Resilient Aeroponic Agriculture (Canada). Boundless Haven utilizes a soilless aeroponic system – first pioneered by NASA for food cultivation in space – to increase nutritious food production and reduce water use in East Africa, especially Djibouti. This sustainable agricultural practice improves yield, and access to local, affordable, and quality food.
• Council of Scientific and Industrial Research Institute – Savanah Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI): Developing an NIR Tool for Rapid Screening of Aflatoxin-Resistant Groundnuts to Combat Aflatoxin Contamination (Ghana). Savanah Agricultural Research Institute’s goal is to use near-infrared technology (NIR) tool to identify aflatoxin contamination in peanuts and reduce it with two naturally occurring antifungal metabolites found in peanut seed coats. This two-pronged approach is a sustainable solution to farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa, especially northern Ghana.
• Deutsche Welthungerhilfe (WHH): Promoting the Production and Conservation of Red-necked Pennisetum purpureum to Positively Transform Food Systems in the Sahel (Germany). Deutsche Welthungerhilfe aims to promote the cultivation and processing of Pennisetum Purpureum (Maralfalfa) for animal feed. Suitable for local grazing animals, the feed will increase local milk supply, supporting families in the Sahel in Niger. Maralfalfa is a multifunctional herb that can slow soil degradation and reduce biodiversity loss.
• iPAGE Global, Inc.: Smart Technology for Agricultural Resilience and Sustainability (STARS) in Flood-prone areas of Northern Bangladesh (United States). iPAGE Global Inc’s STARS project is building a farm analytics solution powered by AIoT and predictive agro-scientific models. This software will deliver site and crop-specific analytics to farmers in Bangladesh to improve their agronomy and reduce soil degradation and carbon footprint.
• Munakyalo Agrofresh: Reducing Post-harvest Losses with Solar-Powered IoT Cooling Hubs and Sustainable Preservation Technologies (Uganda). Munakyalo Agrofresh combats post-harvest losses by providing solar-powered IoT cooling hubs and a plant-based edible coating (MunaFresh), extending the shelf life of perishable produce from 2 to 21 days. This supports smallholder farmers in Uganda and Zimbabwe to reduce waste and enhance food security.
• NovFeed: Promoting Bio-Fertilizer Adoption for Sustainable Farming in Tanzania’s Drought-Prone Regions (Tanzania). NovFeed Project combats soil degradation in Tanzania by introducing biofertilizers that restore soil health, boost crop yields, and reduce dependence on chemical inputs. The initiative enhances food security, creates jobs, and increases farmer incomes by leveraging Local Service Providers (LSPs) for farmer training, technical support, and market access.
• Safe Environment Hub – Kenya: Black Soldier Fly Farming: Trash to Cash (Kenya). Safe Environment Hub’s Black Soldier Fly (BSF) project addresses two significant challenges in Nairobi: the high cost of animal feed for farmers and the management of organic waste. A 2023 Seed Grant awardee, the project uses Black Soldier Fly (BSF) to transform organic waste into organic fertilizer and high-protein animal feed to boost food sustainability and security for smallholder farmers.
• Smartel: Transforming Food Security with IoT-Smart Hydroponic Systems for Sustainable and Climate-Resilient Agriculture (Rwanda). Smartel designs, builds, and deploys portable Internet of Things (IoT)-smart hydroponic systems to disrupt traditional farming globally, especially for urban and peri-urban farmers. Smartel’s system identifies plant defects in real-time and enables the cultivation of fresh produce remotely using green energy.
• SOS: Sea-Land Symbiosis (Dominican Republic). SOS addresses the critical problem of invasive sargassum seaweed in the Caribbean, which devastates marine ecosystems, threatens coastal economies, and leads to significant waste and environmental pollution. SOS transforms invasive seaweed into sustainable, nutrient-rich agricultural products that enhance crop yield, reduce chemical fertilizer use, and improve soil health.
• Toothpick Company Ltd.: Breakthrough Bioherbicide Technology Improves Food and Economic Security for Small-scale Farmers (Kenya). Toothpick Project produces an innovative bioherbicide from fungus to protect crops in Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia and Ghana from Striga witchweed, a devastating pest for small-scale farmers. This safe and affordable herbicide is applied as a seed coating to restore crop yield. Toothpick Company was a 2021 Growth Grant Finalist.
• Uncharted Waters Ltd.: Building a Digital Twin of the Global Water and Food System (Australia). Uncharted Waters Ltd is building a digital twin of the global water and food system with the assistance of machine learning. The program includes the latest climate data and will track, in real time, unsustainable water use and provide quantitative data on alternative water conservation strategies so that organizations can make informed, time-sensitive decisions.
• Yayasan Kopernik: PANGAN Program: Revitalizing Indigenous Farming and Building a Sustainable Food System for a Climate-resilient Bioeconomy and Community (Indonesia). The PANGAN Program addresses food insecurity in West Timor by revitalizing indigenous farming practices. The project will pilot Local Food Hubs, a scalable model connecting farmers and micro-agribusinesses’ produce to local markets, building community and improving access to nutritious food. Kopernik was a 2023 Growth Grant recipient.
SEED GRANT FINALISTS
• Afrinut Enriched Foods: Production of Affordable Plant-Based Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) and Nutritious Food Paste (Ethiopia).
• AGRA Farming Technologies: ARVUM I – Indoor Plant Factory Pilot (Australia).
• Alpha Omega Foundation: Ultrasonic Locust Repellent: A Sustainable Solution for Crop Protection and Food Security in Africa (Cameroon).
• Atlantic Sea Solutions, Inc.: Reducing Post-harvest Fresh Produce Loss Using Green Engineered Seaweed Ingredients and Processes (United States).
• Baobaby: Improve Climate-Resilient Supply Chains for Indigenous Baby Food to Combat Malnutrition and Empower Female Farmers (Togo).
• BIO PLANET TMC Ltd.: Production and Distribution of Quality and Pest Control Organic Fertilizer for Farmlands Restoration and Increased Yields (Benin).
• Blooming World International: HFSL-Africa: Healthier Foods and Sustainable Livelihoods Africa (Kenya).
• Chipatso Eco Packagers: Advancing Sustainable Packaging Solutions for Local Businesses and Environmental Preservation (Malawi).
• Darbot One-stop Technology Hub: Hi-tech & Carbon-Free Energy Solution for Resilient Food Systems (Nigeria).
• MAMLO FOODS, Ltd.: Scaling MAMLO FOODS Micro-Factory Model to Empower Women Smallholder farmers and Transform Peanut Processing (Kenya).
• National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) – National Semi-Arid Resources Research Institute (NaSARRI): Enhancing Household Nutrition Through Adoption of Climate Resilient Greengram and Sorghum Varieties and Biodynamic Manures (Uganda).
• Safi International Technologies: Building Capacity For a Safe and Transparent Dairy Supply Chain in the Rwandan Eastern Province (Canada).
• Sensegrass: YieldSync: Precision Agriculture, Perfectly Timed (United States).
• Tecnologico de Monterrey: Enhancing Functionality of Insect-based Ingredients Through Sustainable Processing (Mexico).
• University of Illinois Urbana Champaign: Empowering Rural Communities of Namibia through Introducing Sustainable Kalahari Melon Oil Processing Methodology (United States).
• Vexxel: Smart Biocapsules for Sustainable Agriculture: Reducing Agrochemical Use and Enhancing Food Safety Globally (United States).
