UAE Launches Third Edition of FoodTech Challenge to Address Global Food Security

The UAE has announced the third edition of the FoodTech Challenge at the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) 2024 Annual Meeting, held alongside the UN General Assembly in New York. This competition seeks to address global food security issues by identifying early-stage, technology-driven solutions aimed at transforming food systems in challenging environments.

Organized by the International Affairs Office of the UAE Presidential Court and Tamkeen, in collaboration with partners such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Silal, the competition offers a shared $2 million cash prize. This year, it focuses on three key areas: food and water, food and energy, and food loss and waste.

Four winning start-ups will receive funding, go-to-market support, and access to a broad network of partners to help scale their solutions. These projects are expected to address food security challenges in the UAE’s arid climate and serve as models for other underserved regions, particularly in the Global South.

Since its inception, the FoodTech Challenge has attracted over 1,100 applications from 98 countries. Previous winners have secured funding and partnerships, with notable successes like Iyris, a start-up that has raised over $34 million and implemented its technologies across UAE farms.