Agricultural entrepreneurs offered US$100,000 prize

Future Food Asia (FFA) returns for its third edition in 2019 and will continue to recognise leading agritech and foodtech start-ups across Asia Pacific.

The first two years of the FFA event have provided a springboard for Asian agriculture and food entrepreneurs to develop new technology-enabled solutions, and FFA 2019 will expand its scope to problems being faced by the agriculture and food industry. This includes smallholder farmer solutions, solutions catering to feeding the rising middle class, and Food 4.0.

Taking place in Singapore from 3–4 June 2019, 10 finalist start-ups will have the opportunity to present their technologies to a room full of industry leaders and investors, and win a prize of US$100,000.

The finalists will be selected by the jury panel, which consists of: Gérard Jacquin, former Director of Partnerships, Transfer and Innovation at INRA, Europe’s agricultural research institute; Dr Ralph Graichen, Director of Food and Nutrition at A*STAR’s (Agency for Science, Technology and Research) Biomedical Research Council; Victoria de la Huerga, Vice President of ADM Ventures, Archer Daniels Midland Company; and Isabelle Decitre, Founder and CEO of ID Capital.

There will also be two additional innovation prizes. ADB Ventures — a pilot program of the Asian Development Bank focused on accelerating technologies into emerging markets for climate impact and inclusive economic growth — will recognise two technology solutions that improve agriculture’s climate impact, and commit as much as $250,000 to pilot winning solutions in emerging Asia Pacific markets. As artificial intelligence forays into this industry, FFA 2019 will also demonstrate the rising power of AI through a new challenge in partnership with cloud computing provider Alibaba Cloud and global technology supplier Bühler Group.

With strong economic growth, a large talent pool and funding heavyweights, Asia Pacific is poised to contribute to the global momentum around agritech and foodtech.

Applications are open and will close mid-April 2019.

Image credit: ©iStockphoto.com/AGPhotography