UAE has officially launched the third edition of its Global FoodTech Challenge, unveiling an expanded competition with a $2 million prize at the Clinton Global Initiative 2024 Annual Meeting in New York. The initiative, held in conjunction with the UN General Assembly, aims to address critical global food security challenges by supporting tech-driven innovations in food systems.
The FoodTech Challenge, organized by the International Affairs Office at the UAE Presidential Court and Tamkeen, brings together global partners including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Clinton Global Initiative, ne’ma (the UAE’s Food Loss and Waste Initiative), and Silal, a leading agri-tech firm. The competition focuses on three key areas: food and water, food and energy, and reducing food loss and waste.
This year’s edition offers the largest prize pool yet, providing four winning startups with a share of the $2 million cash prize, alongside go-to-market support and access to a broad network of industry partners. The winning projects will not only demonstrate their solutions in the UAE but also aim to scale them to underserved markets across the Global South, helping to build more sustainable food systems worldwide.
Rima Al Mokarrab, Chair of Tamkeen and Co-Chair of the FoodTech Challenge, emphasized the UAE’s commitment to innovation, stating: “After the historic COP28 Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems, and Climate Action, and the announcement of the partnership between the UAE and the Gates Foundation on agriculture innovation, the critical role of agriculture and food production in the wider climate crisis is increasingly coming into focus. With the rising demands for food, water, and energy in the face of climate change, we need bold action, innovative thinking, and a transformative approach to our food systems.”
She added, “Through the FoodTech Challenge, we are ensuring that every country and region has the opportunity to participate in the exchange of ideas and investments on the critical issue of food security.”
By developing innovative approaches in challenging environments like the UAE, the competition’s solutions could offer a model for food security in other parts of the world.
