Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) and MassChallenge Switzerland are pleased to introduce the second edition of the LDC Climate Resilience Prize - an unconditional and non-dilutive CHF 100,000 cash prize to support startups working to drive climate resilience in agriculture and food value chains.
A leading merchant and processor of agricultural goods, LDC’s vision is to work toward a safe and sustainable future by contributing to the global effort to provide sustenance for a growing population. As a strategic partner, LDC is looking to connect with and invest in companies with whom it can add value as a cornerstone supplier, customer, or partner. Its corporate venture capital program, Louis Dreyfus Company Ventures, provides equity capital to early-stage companies developing innovative and sustainable products, technologies, processes, and solutions with the potential to transform food and agricultural production, and make LDC's operations more profitable, sustainable, or efficient.
MassChallenge Switzerland is facilitating meaningful connections between LDC and selected startups, with the goal of finding breakthrough solutions to critical challenges in food and agricultural supply chains, adding real value for customers and markets while protecting the environment and safeguarding natural resources.
In line with these goals, the LDC Climate Resilience Prize will be awarded to the food and/or agriculture startup with the biggest climate impact potential.
The winner will be announced on stage at the MassChallenge Switzerland Awards on October 31st.
“Through this prize, we are thrilled to continue supporting the next generation of innovators, empowering visionary creators of transformative new ideas to create change at scale through groundbreaking products, technologies, processes or solutions with the potential to drive climate resilience in food and agricultural value chains.”
– Michael Gelchie, Louis Dreyfus Company's Chief Executive Officer.
We are looking for startups, with proven solutions or technologies in the areas of:
One winner will receive a no-strings-attached, non-dilutive cash prize of CHF 100,000.
Overall, LDC is looking at CO2 reduction and enablers, and more specifically:
Have impactful products, technologies, processes, and solutions that can contribute to climate resilience in food and ag-tech, by decarbonizing the food value chain. Startups will be asked to quantify their solution’s impact in relation to CO2e removed/avoided over the next 10 years until 2034. For example: How many tons of CO2e will you avoid emitting, or sequester per ton of your product per annum? How many m3 of fresh water will you save per annum? How many tons of waste material will you prevent from being emitted each year? How many tons of natural resources will you recover or prevent from being wasted each year?
Have a viable idea. Startups must be able to demonstrate traction amongst those participating in their solution, as well as how their idea is financially sustainable. For example: data showing sales to consumers, manufacturers or farmers, or the size of their supply base (ie farmers), or their business model.
Any questions?