UN Food and Agriculture Organization Data for Farm Value Global Challenge 2025 (€5,000 prize) – YOA

Deadline: August 25, 2025

Applications are open for the UN Food and Agriculture Organization Data for Farm Value Global Challenge 2025. FAO and the University of Helsinki’s Viikki Food Design Factory have launched the worldwide Data for Farm Value Challenge to help startups utilizing farm-degree information in progressive methods. The purpose is to unlock worth for smallholder farmers, who typically generate key insights however are disregarded of the info-pushed agrifood economic system.

The connection between agricultural information and smallholder farmers is in dire must be strengthened. To unlock its progressive potential, they’re in search of truthful enterprise fashions which have the capability to incorporate smallholder farmers within the compensation mechanisms within the information ecosystem surrounding the agrifood world. 

Startups are invited to:

• Develop scalable digital options that render, and construction information generated on the farm-degree in a usable, helpful and extra generally used format.
• Create/Propose enterprise fashions the place farmers are included and pretty compensated for their information contributions, i.e. enterprise fashions capturing worth additionally for the farmers as information producers.
• Facilitate the combination of farm-degree information into the provision chain, sustainability, and market entry platforms.
• Design clear mechanisms that allow farmers to promote or commerce information whereas sustaining possession.
• Connect farm-degree information with broader public and personal sector initiatives to drive sustainability and financial worth throughout the worth chain.

Benefits

• Workshops on pitching and product-market match associated to information-targeted startups
• Networking alternatives within the agrifood innovation ecosystem spanning the UN, public and personal sectors, and academia
• OPPORTUNITY for 10 startups to pitch on stage on the FAO’s Science and Innovation Forum (SIF) in Rome on October 16, 2025
• Access to the World Food Forum throughout FAO’s eightieth anniversary celebrations.
• The prime 4 startups from the SIF pitchers will pitch at Y Science, a facet occasion of Slush, in Helsinki on November 19, 2025
• A free ticket to Slush for the 4 finalists
• A money prize of 5,000 euros for the winner of the pitching competitors.
• Access to the Data Refinery, a joint initiative by FAO and the University of Helsinki’s Viikki Food Design Factory together with accesing and utilizing invaluable information units from FAO and companions
• Mentoring with FAO’s world digital agriculture and information consultants by 1:1 workplace hours 

Eligibility

• Registered firms with a minimal crew measurement of two individuals working 50% of their working hours on the answer can apply;
• Technology Readiness Level 3-7 (between Proof of Concept and Approved Prototype);
• Funding degree: At minimal pre-seed funding, at most Series A funded, with annual income not more than €500K/12 months;
• Startups might be positioned wherever all over the world;
• Availability and funds to attend the FAO Science and Innovation Forum in Rome, Italy, on October 16 and (for the chosen 4 pitching finalists) the Y Science and Slush occasions on November 18-20, 2025, in Helsinki, Finland;
• All submissions, shows and communications are required to be in English.

Application

Click here to apply

For extra data, go to Data for Farm Value Global Challenge.