Meet the 2025 Startup Innovation Awards finalists

28/07/2025

The World Food Forum (WFF) Global Youth Action Initiative’s Startup Innovation Awards (SIA), powered by Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC), is a global competition that supports and showcases young innovators and entrepreneurs using technology to accelerate the sustainable transformation of agrifood systems and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

For its fifth edition, the SIA received 1 507 applications from 102 countries across four categories:

Equitable and Sustainable Nutrition – Recognizing inclusive innovations that improve access to more sustainable, affordable and nutritious diets.
Enhancing Climate Resilience and Water Security – Spotlighting solutions that strengthen community resilience to climate change and water scarcity.
Digital Innovation in Food Processing – Honoring data-driven innovations that enhance food quality, safety and sustainability.
Driving Innovation in Agrifood Systems – Celebrating breakthrough solutions that leverage digital technologies to strengthen agricultural systems, educate producers, enhance resilience, reduce environmental impact and promote sustainable practices across agrifood value chains.

Following a rigorous evaluation by experts from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and other leading institutions worldwide, and adynamic live pitch round featuring 41 semifinalists, eight youth-led startups have advanced to the finals. Their innovative solutions stand at the intersection of technology, inclusion and sustainability, reflecting the 2025 WFF theme: “Hand-in-Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future”.

Meet the 2025 Finalists:

Equitable and Sustainable Nutrition Award

MilletsNow (India)

P-Vita (Egypt)

Enhancing Climate Resilience and Water Security Award

Agua de Sol SAS (Morocco)

Lilliput Technologies (Costa Rica)

Digital Innovation in Food Processing Award

Microfy Systems (Spain)

UdyogYantra.AI (India)

Driving Innovation in Agrifood Systems Award

MetaBix Biotech (Uruguay)

Unibaio (Argentina)

These young innovators will pitch live at the 2025 SIA finals during the WFF flagship event, taking place on 15 October at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy and online.

Join the global audience and watch these youth-led startups present their bold, scalable solutions for a more sustainable and inclusive food future.