Applications are open until 1 April 2026.

Any questions? innovation@world-food-forum.org

ABOUT THE AWARDS

The World Food Forum (WFF) Startup Innovation Awards (SIA), powered by MassChallenge Switzerland, is a global platform spotlighting and elevating young entrepreneurs using technology to transform agrifood systems, end global hunger, and advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through its strategic collaboration with MassChallenge Switzerland, selected startups gain exclusive access to the MassChallenge Switzerland Accelerator in Lausanne, unlocking world-class mentorship, networks, and growth opportunities.

2026 AWARDS CATEGORIES

• Digital Innovation in Food Processing Award: 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. 

• Fighting Malnutrition and Enhancing Food Security Award: Startups developing scalable, inclusive solutions that address malnutrition and food insecurity by improving nutrition education, increasing access to nutritious food, strengthening local food systems and leveraging sustainable and digital innovations across agrifood value chains.

•  Enhancing Climate Change and Water security: 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.

• Empowering Women in Agrifood Systems Award: Startups developing inclusive innovations that strengthen women’s participation and leadership in agrifood systems by improving access to finance and markets, skills, entrepreneurship training and leveraging digital tools.

SPECIAL AWARDS

Startups joining the programme automatically qualify for these awards and do not need to submit a separate application.

• Startup of the Year 2026: This award celebrates the startup that demonstrates exceptional innovation, scalability and potential to transform agrifood systems globally. The overall winner will receive a USD 10 000 cash prize from Seeding The Future Foundation to scale their impact.

• Excellence in Applied AI: Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC), a long-time partner of the WFF Startup Innovation Awards, presents a special award for “Excellence in Applied AI” recognizing innovative use of “applied intelligence” across the 2026 categories. The winner of the “Applied AI” award will benefit from:

  • Inclusion in Extreme Tech Challenge’s global ecosystem of investors and corporate innovation teams;

  • Publicity through XTC’s media channels;

  • Invitation to attend XTC’s flagship annual AI conference in California, USA in November, 2026.

BENEFITS

CASH PRIZES

• Award winners will receive at least USD 7 500 per category, with USD 2 500 awarded to runners-up. The overall Startup Innovation Awards winner will receive an additional USD 10 000.

• All finalists will also be eligible to compete for MassChallenge Switzerland’s prize pool (Up to CHF 1M).

ACCELERATION

• Selected startups will be invited to the MassChallenge Switzerland accelerator programme 2026, benefiting from:

  • world-class mentoring;

  • tailored and comprehensive curriculum of lectures and workshops;

  • market guidance;

  • access to global corporate partners;

  • in-person events.

     

SUPPORT & VISIBILITY

• Travel support will be provided for two finalist teams per award category to attend the WFF flagship event in Rome, Italy.

   

• Extensive visibility and promotional opportunities will be supported via WFF Youth Initiative social media platforms and website.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

TEAM PROFILE: YOUTH LEADERSHIP

• Startups must be youth-led, with at least one founder or C-level executive between 18 and 35 years old at the time of application;

• Startup representatives who pitch during the online pitching sessions, participate in the MassChallenge, Switzerland Accelerator programme and present at the 2026 WFF flagship event in Rome, must be 35 years old or younger at the time of the event.

COMPANY STAGE

• Startups should have less than USD 2 million capital raised and generated less than USD 2 million in sales;

SOLUTION STAGE

• Applicants must demonstrate validated evidence of their digital food processing solution, such as pilots, early adoption by processors or value-chain actors, partnerships or measurable operational or impact results;

   

SOLUTION'S IMPACT

• Startups must be able to demonstrate the scalability of their solution and its potential for growth;

• Solutions should show a clear, measurable contribution to more efficient and sustainable agrifood systems.

TIMELINE 2026

PAST FINALISTS & WINNERS

KOJI – MASSCHALLENGE WINNER 2025

Read more here.

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