Dubai – Sharikat Mubasher: The third edition of the UAE’s FoodTech Challenge announced 42 semifinalist startups from around the world in the fields of agri-tech and food-tech.

According to the announcement on the competition’s X account, the selected ventures are competing for a total prize of $2 million, the largest in the challenge's history.

Organized by the UAE Presidential Court’s Office of International Affairs and Tamkeen, in partnership with the Gates Foundation, Clinton Global Initiative, the UAE's National Food Loss and Waste Initiative (ne'ma), and leading food company Silal, the competition highlights innovations aimed at transforming global food systems.

More than 1,200 applications from 113 countries were received, with an 80% increase from the previous edition. Finalists offer diverse solutions, including lab-grown dairy, sustainable seaweed farming, AI-powered crop monitoring, and biodegradable water-saving gels.

Notably, 16% of selected startups are based in the UAE, 40% have at least one female founder, and 33% are youth-led. Countries represented include Saudi Arabia, Egypt, France, the US, Brazil, and more.

Four winners will be announced later this year, each receiving funding, marketing support, and access to a global network to scale their solutions, particularly in food-insecure regions of the Global South.