Apply for the Global AgriInno Challenge 2025 to win $30K seed funding
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in partnership with Zhejiang University (ZJU) have launched the Global Agrilnno Challenge 2025. The competition aims to empower young agritech innovators who are developing sustainable and intelligent solutions to solve problems in the food and agricultural industry.
This year’s challenge theme; “Harnessing Emerging Technologies and Digital Public Infrastructure for Sustainable Agrifood Systems.” aims to improve nutritional security, supply chain efficiency, and climate resilience by accelerating innovators and startups using blockchain, AI, open-source platforms, and interoperable Digital Public Goods (DPGs) to overcome gender, rural, and digital inequalities.
The Global Agrilnno Challenge 2025 is backed by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), a professional International organisation established in 1946. FAO is dedicated to ending global hunger and improving nutrition across its 195 member states. Early food surveys revealed widespread malnutrition, prompting the creation of the World Food Programme in 1961 to deliver emergency food aid and address growing disparities in global food access and child nutrition.
Benefits of the programme
For selected participants, the Global Agrilnno Challenge 2025 offers the following benefits:
- Seed funding of up to $30,000 for the winning team
- 48-hour co-creation bootcamp, mentoring from investors, private sector executives, UN agencies, and international mentors
- International recognition on a global platform
- Access to venture capitalists, industry leaders, other innovators, and agencies from the Global AgriInno Challenge alumni network
ALSO READ: World Food Forum 2025 offers $80,000 in startup award for young agrifood innovators
Who can apply
To be eligible for the Global Agrilnno Challenge 2025, applicants must:
- be under 35 years of age
- run a registered business that has been in operation for less than five years and generates less than $1 million in revenue
- provide digital solutions for agrifood systems that are inclusive, useful, and pertinent to local communities
Programme timeline
The Global Agrilnno Challenge 2025 will follow the schedule below
- Innovation challenge formulates: Tuesday, April 1, 2025
- Open call begins: Wednesday, April 30, 2025
- Open call closes: Saturday, June 7, 2025
- Notification of shortlisted teams and visa prep starts: Monday, June 16, 2025
- Innovation for good starts on Wednesday, August 27 to Thursday, August 8, 2025
- Pitch event: Friday, August 29, 2025
- FAO science and innovation forum pitch events: Tuesday, October 14, 2025
How to apply
Interested participants should submit their application for the Global Agrilnno Challenge 2025 through the official application platform on or before Saturday, June 7, 2025.
Do you have an innovative business (small, mid-scale business or startup) that adds value, creates opportunities or solves bold problems? Then you`ve got a story worth telling? Shoot us an email with SUBJECT “Story Worth Telling (+Name of Business)” to [email protected]
