Bonn, Germany – June 10, 2026 – Seeding The Future Foundation and Welthungerhilfe (WHH) are proud to announce the Seed Grant, Growth Grant and Seeding the Future Grand Prize winners of the 5th annual Seeding The Future Global Food System Challenge (GFSC). The USD 1 million global Challenge supports impactful and innovative solutions to transform food systems.
Created and funded by Seeding The Future Foundation and, for the first time, hosted by Welthungerhilfe (WHH), the Challenge attracted a record 1,600+ applications from entrepreneurs, scientists, engineers and multidisciplinary teams from 112 countries.
“Each year, the Seeding The Future Global Food System Challenge reminds us that transformative innovations to enable safe, nutritious, affordable and trusted food can emerge from every corner of the world. This year’s winners exemplify the ingenuity, determination, and multidisciplinary thinking needed to address some of humanity’s most pressing challenges and reflect our foundation’s vision for more sustainable, equitable and resilient food systems. We are honored to collaborate with our trusted partner, Welthungerhilfe (WHH), as host of the Challenge, and proud to support innovators and entrepreneurs whose work will catalyze a lasting impact for people and planet,” said Bernhard van Lengerich, Founder & CEO of Seeding The Future Foundation.
To promote innovations at various stages - from ideation and development to scaling - the Challenge offers three levels of awards: Seed Grant, Growth Grant, and Seeding The Future Grand Prize. While eight Seed Grant winners each receive $25,000, three Growth Grant winners each receive $100,000, and two Seeding the Future Grand Prize winners receive $250,000 each.
“The Seeding The Future Global Food System Challenge highlights the bold ideas and entrepreneurial spirit needed to transform global food systems. For Welthungerhilfe (WHH), the Challenge is a valuable way to support innovators whose solutions can drive better nutrition, stronger resilience, and lasting impact. We congratulate this year’s winners and celebrate the creativity and commitment behind each of these promising innovations.” said Jan Kever, Head of Innovation at Welthungerhilfe (WHH).
List of GFSC Winners
For more details see also: GFSC Winners & Finalists | Global Food System Challenge -Welthungerhilfe
Seeding The Future Grand Prize Winners
- Sanku – Project Healthy Children Inc., Tanzania
Sanku works with local flour millers in East Africa to add essential nutrients to staple flour, helping prevent malnutrition caused by micronutrient deficiencies. Sanku provides millers with technology, nutrient premix, and technical support to fortify flour accurately and sustainably. This enables even remote communities to access and consume healthier staple foods every day. Sanku is reaching millions of people with fortified flour and helping improve nutrition at scale. - Nurture Posterity International, Uganda
The NutriPosh initiative improves school nutrition in Uganda by producinguniquely fortified flour made from maize and pumpkin for school meals. Its digital platform supports quality control, farmer payments, traceability, and meal delivery monitoring, creating a reliable and transparent food system. The model links local farmers, decentralized processing, and schools to provide nutritious meals while strengthening livelihoods. By combining nutrition, digital oversight, and climate-smart production, NutriPosh is helping modernize school feeding at scale.
Growth Grant Winners
- Safi International Technologies Inc., Canada
Safi International Technologies has developed a small-scale milk pasteurization control device that helps dairy farmers produce safe milk while preserving its nutrients. The device runs on renewable energy and includes digital tracking to improve food safety and traceability. With this grant, Safi will scale local manufacturing and deploy the technology to climate-displaced dairy farmers in Rwanda through an affordable pay-as-you-pasteurize model. This innovation improves incomes for farmers while increasing access to safe
milk for communities. - Environment and Sustainable Development Unit at American University of Beirut, Lebanon
The WISE project (Whey Integration for Sustainable Economies) transforms acidic whey, a byproduct of dairy production, into Kishk, a nutritious traditional cereal-dairy food in Lebanon. By using this byproduct instead of discarding it, the innovation reduces pollution while creating new income opportunities for women-led cooperatives. The process has been scientifically validated and shown to be safe and practical for local production. This approach improves food security, supports rural livelihoods, and promotes a circular economy in the dairy sector. - Iviani Farm Limited, Kenya
Iviani Farm is introducing climate-smart fish farming to Kenya’s dryland communities through water-efficient smart ponds equipped with real-time monitoring systems. These ponds reduce water use, improve fish survival, and enable reliable fish production in areas where aquaculture has not been possible before. The project will train women and youth, helping them generate income while improving access to affordable protein. This innovation creates a scalable and climate-resilient aquaculture model for vulnerable communities.
Seed Grant Winner
- Inua Damsite CBO, Kenya
Inua Damsite CBO reduces food waste by turning surplus produce into nutritious foods, including therapeutic food for malnourished children. Through a community agro-processing hub, farmers and young entrepreneurs can access shared equipment, receive training, and create income from produce that would otherwise be lost. The initiative improves nutrition, strengthens livelihoods, and helps restore soil health by converting unsalvageable waste into organic fertilizer. By addressing food waste, malnutrition, and income generation together, the project supports more resilient local food systems. - Keloks Technologies Ltd, Nigeria
Keloks Technologies has developed a mobile system that transforms wastewater into safe irrigation water and usable nutrients for farmers in rural Nigeria. Powered by solar energy and equipped with sensors, the portable unit helps farmers access cleaner water, improve crop quality, and reduce contamination risks. By recovering nutrients from waste, the system also supports healthier soils and lowers dependence on chemical fertilizers. This innovation offers a practical and scalable way to improve sanitation and strengthen food systems in underserved farming communities. - REBUS Albania, Albania
REBUS Albania replaces plastic seedling pots with biodegradable seed cups made from agricultural residues such as straw and sawdust. The cups can be planted directly into the soil, where they retain moisture, release nutrients, and naturally decompose, reducing transplant stress for seedlings. This helps farmers improve crop establishment while cutting plastic waste and supporting healthier soils. The innovation offers an affordable and locally produced solution for more regenerative farming. - Tanzania Conservation and Community Empowerment Initiative (TACCEI), Tanzania
TACCEI transforms dairy byproducts into biofertilizer for women-led home gardens in Maasai communities. This locally produced fertilizer improves access to sustainable agricultural inputs while reducing environmental waste from discarded dairy byproducts. The project strengthens household nutrition, supports women’s economic empowerment, and helps communities adapt to climate challenges. By combining local resources with scientific research, the innovation creates environmental, social, and economic benefits. - Levo International, Inc., United States
Levo International has developed a simplified hydroponic farming system in Haiti using only locally available materials. The electricity-free system enables families to grow food on land that is not suitable for traditional farming, using local materials instead of imported equipment. This approach offers a practical solution to food insecurity where arable land and access to international supplies are limited. The project aims to expand this low-cost food production system to 100 families in Haiti. - Taita Taveta University, Kenya
Taita Taveta University has designed a solar-powered drying system that helps prevent aflatoxin contamination in maize by ensuring fast and even drying after harvest. The system combines solar energy, controlled airflow, and real-time monitoring to reduce fungal growth and improve food safety. Built with locally available materials, it is suitable for smallholder farmers and community institutions. This innovation helps reduce food losses, improve grain quality, and protect consumer health. - FUTURALGA S.COOP.AND, Spain
FUTURALGA is developing compostable food packaging made from seaweed that washes up on coastlines. The innovation addresses two environmental challenges at once: reducing plastic waste and making productive use of stranded seaweed biomass. The packaging has already been validated at laboratory scale and will now move toward food safety certification and pilot production. By turning waste into sustainable packaging, the project supports circular food systems and healthier coastal ecosystems. - West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement, University of Ghana, Ghana
The West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement is developing maize varieties that can better withstand drought and low soil fertility while also improving nutritional value. The project combines field testing, nutrient analysis, and farmer participation to identify varieties that perform well under climate stress. These improved maize hybrids can help farmers increase yields and provide more nutritious food for communities. The innovation aims to strengthen food security and improve livelihoods for smallholder farmers in Ghana.
About Seeding The Future Foundation
STF is a private nonprofit dedicated to ensuring equitable access to safe, nutritious, affordable, and trusted food. It supports innovations that transform food systems and benefit both people and planet. More at Seeding the future.
About Welthungerhilfe
WHH is one of Germany’s largest private aid organizations, striving for a world without hunger since 1962. More at: Welthungerhilfe (WHH).
Issued by:
Welthungerhilfe (WHH)
Contact:
Simone Pott
Media Spokesperson
Telephone: +49 (0) 228–2288–132
Mobile: +49 (0) 172–2525962
simone.pott@welthungerhilfe.de
Assistant: Isabell Kaluza
Telephone: +49 (0)30–288749–34
presse@welthungerhilfe.de
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