Apply by: August 1, 2023 | IFT Global Food System Challenge Applications Are Now Being Accepted | Amount of Grant: $25,000 USD
Concerning the Organization
Since 1939, the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) has served as a venue for enthusiastic food scientists and professionals to work together, share knowledge, and make contributions with the aim of inspiriting and transforming collective scientific knowledge into ground-breaking solutions for the benefit of all people everywhere. IFT feeds the minds that feed the world as a community of scientists with a clear mission.
Regarding the Grant
The Challenge, sponsored by the Institute of Food Technologists and funded by the Seeding The Future Foundation, aims to support innovations that can significantly improve at least one or more of the intersecting domains of sustainably produced food, nutrient-dense food for a healthy diet, consumer accessibility, consumer appeal, affordability, and consumer trust.
Transformational changes to the food system will be necessary to ensure that a growing global population has access to inexpensive, secure, and nutrient-dense food for a balanced diet while preserving the health of our planet. Innovations with the potential to significantly alter the food system will result from advances and discoveries in science and technology as well as innovative new techniques and cross-cultural cooperation.
The Seeding The Future Global Food System Challenge seeks to encourage and assist teams of creative, diverse, and multidisciplinary individuals in developing ground-breaking solutions that will contribute to the transformation of the food system.
Benefits
- Money awards in the form of grants and prizes totaling up to $1 million USD will be given out each year as part of the Seeding The Future Global Food System Challenge. We welcome applications from small or start-up North American or European for-profit firms as well as from national or international colleges, research institutions, or nonprofit organizations.
- Three levels of incentives will be available through the Challenge to encourage revolutionary breakthroughs in the food system at various stages of development. Only one award level is permitted for applications. To choose the right prize level for your project, carefully read the selection criteria.
- Organizations that are cultivating high-potential, novel ideas and have created a prototype or initial proof of concept proving its viability will be given Seed Grants ($25,000 apiece). Innovation must positively impact at least one, and ideally two, of the Innovation Focus Area’s domains without having a detrimental effect on the others.
Organizations who have shown their innovation is feasible and predicted both economic viability at scale and high-impact potential to improve the food system will receive Growth Grants ($100,000 each). At least two, and ideally three, domains must benefit from the invention, with no adverse effects on the others. - Organizations who have developed solutions that are scalable, economically viable at scale, trusted, and compelling to consumers, as well as having showed tremendous impact potential to improve the food system, will receive one of the two Seeding The Future Grand Prizes ($250,000 each). At least two, and ideally three, domains must benefit from the invention, with no adverse effects on the others.
Eligibility
The project must be innovative, significant, and result in new developments that positively impact at least one, and ideally more than one, of the intersecting areas of the Innovation Focus Area, as illustrated in the graphic below, without adversely affecting any of the other domains, in order to qualify for an award.
The highest award levels are available for innovations that span two or more domains and are in an advanced development stage. For the purposes of this challenge, innovation is defined as: A NEW IDEA, METHOD, OR APPLICATION THAT IS PRACTICAL AND LEADS TO A BENEFIT RELATED TO SAFE AND HEALTHY FOOD, THE ENVIRONMENT, OR END USERS/CONSUMERS.
The following businesses are qualified to participate in the Challenge:
- Nonprofit organizations worldwide
- Any country’s academic or research institutes
- For-profit businesses in their early stages or with a European or North American base (referred to as “small companies”)
- No individuals may submit applications. Please be aware, nevertheless, that groups of students or researchers may take part in a submission on behalf of an organization.
- Teams for the Challenge are encouraged to be formed by organizations. In the event that two or more companies join forces to compete, only one of the teams should act as the applicant.
How to Apply:
The application period is open from June 1 through August 1 of 2023.
Please click the link for further details.
