UAE FoodTech Challenge Awards $2M to Pioneering Agri-Tech Startups

Editorial Team

Last updated 16-01-2026

3 min

Four startups won the UAE FoodTech Challenge after beating 1,215 global submissions.

HyveGeo, Permia Sensing, Flybox and Akorn shared a USD 2 million prize pot.

Winners gain pilots in the UAE plus support to scale across the Global South.

Judges said past winners raised USD 48 million, proving it is more than a “trophy moment”.

Backers stressed real impact for climate‑vulnerable communities, beyond the hype stage.

The UAE FoodTech Challenge wrapped up its third edition on the main stage of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, and four startups walked away with more than applause. HyveGeo, Permia Sensing, Flybox and Akorn Technology were named winners after coming out on top in a global competition that pulled in 1,215 submissions from 113 countries. Only ten teams made it to the final pitch, facing a heavyweight judging panel spanning food systems, sustainability, investment and development. I’ve sat through plenty of startup pitch days across the region, and trust me, getting this far is no small feat – it’s nail-biting stuff.

The winners will share a USD 2 million prize pot and, more importantly, a chance to pilot and scale their solutions in the UAE before expanding into markets across the Global South. The support package goes well beyond cash. Think access to research facilities, help cracking the market, mentorship, and warm introductions to investors – the whole toolbox, well… almost everything founders usually have to chase for years. I reckon this kind of hands-on backing is spot on, especially for early-stage agri-tech companies trying to prove themselves in tough, climate-stressed environments.

Rima Al Mokarrab, Chair of Tamkeen and Co-Chair of the FoodTech Challenge, has pointed out that previous winners have raised more than USD 48 million in follow-on funding and launched over 50 pilot projects since their awards. That track record matters. It shows the competition isn’t just a shiny trophy moment but a launchpad, helping startups plug into what she described as the UAE’s world-class innovation ecosystem, with reach extending well beyond the country’s borders.

From a policy and development angle, Fatema Almulla from the International Affairs Office at the UAE Presidential Court highlighted how agricultural innovation sits at the heart of the UAE’s international development efforts. The idea is to move quickly from pilot to scale, embedding startups into an ecosystem where technology, policy and global expertise collide. On the flip side, Shelly Sundberg from the Gates Foundation stressed that the real win is impact on the ground, especially for climate-vulnerable and underserved communities that need practical, affordable food solutions now, not in ten years’ time.

This year’s challenge was organised by the International Affairs Office and Tamkeen, working with partners such as ne’ma, Silal and the Gates Foundation, and the finalist cohort reflected just how broad food innovation has become – from precision agriculture to post-harvest preservation and waste-to-value ideas. As Khuloud Nowais from Emirates Foundation noted, the sophistication of solutions tackling food loss and waste is definately improving. Watching these trends over the years for Arageek, I’m chuffed to bits to see MENA-based initiatives pulling global talent into the region. That said, the real test starts now, when the hype dies down and the hard graft of scaling begins.

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