emirates7 - The FoodTech Challenge (FTC) has announced 42 early-stage startups that have been shortlisted for their innovative, technology-driven ideas aimed at transforming global food systems.
Organised by the UAE Presidential Court’s International Affairs Office and Tamkeen—with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, ne’ma (the UAE’s Food Loss and Waste Initiative), and UAE agri-food leader Silal—this third edition of the FTC features its largest prize pool yet. The competition was officially launched at the 2024 Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting.
Later this year, four winning startups will be awarded a share of US$2 million in cash grants. Beyond financial support, winners will gain access to go-to-market guidance and a global network to help implement their solutions in the UAE and expand into the Global South.
The UAE’s challenging desert environment makes it a strategic testing ground for breakthrough innovations that can be adapted to similar climates around the world.
This edition received over 1,200 applications from 113 countries—an 80% rise from the previous round. Submissions showcased cutting-edge innovations such as lab-grown dairy, regenerative seaweed farming, AI-based crop monitoring, and biodegradable hydrogels.
Startups based in the UAE made up 16% of the semifinalists. Moreover, 40% of the selected teams have at least one female co-founder, and 33% are led or co-led by young entrepreneurs.
The semifinalist pool includes startups from a diverse range of countries including the United States, Israel, India, Malaysia, Uganda, the UK, Brazil, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Tunisia, Norway, Morocco, South Africa, Germany, France, Indonesia, and Australia.
Khuloud Hassan Al Nuwais, Chief Sustainability Officer of Emirates Foundation and Secretary-General of the ne’ma Committee, highlighted that many of the selected startups offer promising solutions in areas like smart packaging, urban agriculture, and AI analytics, with 45% of the proposals focused specifically on cutting food loss and waste.
Salmeen Al Ameri, CEO of Silal, emphasized that the quality of the submissions demonstrates scalable and innovative approaches, reaffirming Silal’s dedication to offering support through expert advice and market access opportunities.
The next phase of the competition will see selected startups undergo interviews and pitch sessions, ultimately narrowing the group to a final top 10.
Judges for this year’s finale include Mariam Almheiri, Head of the International Affairs Office at the UAE Presidential Court and FTC Co-Chair; Rima Al Mokarrab, Chair of Tamkeen and FTC Co-Chair; HRH Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal Al Saud, Founder and CEO of KBW Ventures; along with representatives from the Gates Foundation, ne’ma, Silal, and global organizations focused on agricultural and developmental innovation.
Part of the UAE’s National Food Security Strategy 2051, the FTC uses the country’s resource-scarce environment to foster scalable food system solutions. With the global population projected to grow by two billion by 2050, the competition supports innovations addressing the food-water-energy nexus, food waste reduction, and global scalability.
Previous FTC winners have achieved significant milestones—such as iyris (formerly Red Sea Farms), which has raised over $34 million and scaled its technologies across Silal farms in Abu Dhabi. Orbisk, another winner, secured €8.3 million in funding by December 2024.
So far, FTC alumni have collectively raised $60 million to further develop and deploy their solutions after participating in the challenge.
Organised by the UAE Presidential Court’s International Affairs Office and Tamkeen—with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, ne’ma (the UAE’s Food Loss and Waste Initiative), and UAE agri-food leader Silal—this third edition of the FTC features its largest prize pool yet. The competition was officially launched at the 2024 Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting.
Later this year, four winning startups will be awarded a share of US$2 million in cash grants. Beyond financial support, winners will gain access to go-to-market guidance and a global network to help implement their solutions in the UAE and expand into the Global South.
The UAE’s challenging desert environment makes it a strategic testing ground for breakthrough innovations that can be adapted to similar climates around the world.
This edition received over 1,200 applications from 113 countries—an 80% rise from the previous round. Submissions showcased cutting-edge innovations such as lab-grown dairy, regenerative seaweed farming, AI-based crop monitoring, and biodegradable hydrogels.
Startups based in the UAE made up 16% of the semifinalists. Moreover, 40% of the selected teams have at least one female co-founder, and 33% are led or co-led by young entrepreneurs.
The semifinalist pool includes startups from a diverse range of countries including the United States, Israel, India, Malaysia, Uganda, the UK, Brazil, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Tunisia, Norway, Morocco, South Africa, Germany, France, Indonesia, and Australia.
Khuloud Hassan Al Nuwais, Chief Sustainability Officer of Emirates Foundation and Secretary-General of the ne’ma Committee, highlighted that many of the selected startups offer promising solutions in areas like smart packaging, urban agriculture, and AI analytics, with 45% of the proposals focused specifically on cutting food loss and waste.
Salmeen Al Ameri, CEO of Silal, emphasized that the quality of the submissions demonstrates scalable and innovative approaches, reaffirming Silal’s dedication to offering support through expert advice and market access opportunities.
The next phase of the competition will see selected startups undergo interviews and pitch sessions, ultimately narrowing the group to a final top 10.
Judges for this year’s finale include Mariam Almheiri, Head of the International Affairs Office at the UAE Presidential Court and FTC Co-Chair; Rima Al Mokarrab, Chair of Tamkeen and FTC Co-Chair; HRH Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal Al Saud, Founder and CEO of KBW Ventures; along with representatives from the Gates Foundation, ne’ma, Silal, and global organizations focused on agricultural and developmental innovation.
Part of the UAE’s National Food Security Strategy 2051, the FTC uses the country’s resource-scarce environment to foster scalable food system solutions. With the global population projected to grow by two billion by 2050, the competition supports innovations addressing the food-water-energy nexus, food waste reduction, and global scalability.
Previous FTC winners have achieved significant milestones—such as iyris (formerly Red Sea Farms), which has raised over $34 million and scaled its technologies across Silal farms in Abu Dhabi. Orbisk, another winner, secured €8.3 million in funding by December 2024.
So far, FTC alumni have collectively raised $60 million to further develop and deploy their solutions after participating in the challenge.