About the Startup Innovation Awards
The WFF Startup Innovation Awards (SIA), powered by MassChallenge Switzerland, is a global platform to spotlight and elevate 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.
Applications are open until 1 April 2026. The call is open for youth-led startups using technology to transform agrifood systems across four award categories.
2026 Award categories
Technological and digital innovations play a critical role in the future of agrifood systems. To address the unprecedented challenges we are facing, we need to find new, actionable, scalable, investable, innovative and inclusive solutions that respond to the complex, interrelated nature of global agrifood systems.
Through the Awards, we are seeking to identify, elevate and accelerate the youth-led startups who show the greatest potential for a positive impact to transform agrifood systems across the four categories for 2026:
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 food processing.
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Startups developing scalable, inclusive solutions that address malnutrition and food insecurity by improving nutrition education, increasing access to nutritious food, strengthening local agrifood systems and leveraging sustainable and digital innovations across agrifood value chains.
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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.
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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.
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Special Awards 2026
Startup of Year Award 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.
What do successful teams gain?
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. Selected startups will be invited to the MassChallenge Switzerland Accelerator Programme, benefiting from world class mentoring, tailored and comprehensive curriculum of lectures and workshops, market guidance and access to MC’s global corporate partners.
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.
Timeline and key dates for 2026
PHASE 1
Application and selection
- 1 April: Application deadline
- 4 – 13 May: Online pitches for selected startups
- 19 May: Participating startups selected
PHASE 2
Acceleration
- 29 June – 10 July: MassChallenge Acceleration Bootcamp – Lausanne, Switzerland
- 31 August – 4 September: Halftime and Collaboration events – Lausanne, Switzerland
PHASE 3
Demo day and judging
- 29 September: Online Demo-day (selection of the SIA finalists to present at the WFF flagship event)
- 5 – 8 October: Pre-final judging for MassChallenge Switzerland Award
PHASE 4
Final pitch and awards
- 12 – 16 October: Finals pitch and Award Ceremony, WFF flagship event – FAO headquarters, Rome, Italy
- 29 October: MassChallenge Switzerland Award Ceremony – Lausanne, Switzerland
Eligibility criteria
- 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;
- Startups should have less than USD 2 million capital raised and generated less than USD 2 million in sales;
- 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;
- Startups must be able to demonstrate the scalability of their solution and its potential for growth; and
- Solutions should show a clear, measurable contribution to more efficient and sustainable agrifood systems.
For more information, check out the Terms and Conditions.
