Whether working on next-generation ingredients, sustainable processing or AI-driven solutions, early-stage startups have an opportunity to showcase how their technology could impact and transform the food system by applying for the Global Food Tech Awards.
The Global Food Tech Awards shine a spotlight on the startups shaping the future of food, offering not just regional recognition, but the chance to compete on a global stage in front of investors, multinational food companies and industry leaders.
This year’s awards will feature startups in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region. Winners and finalists will be announced during the Asia Pacific Agri-Food Summit in Singapore, which takes place October 26-29, 2026.
What are the judges looking for?
To stand out in a competitive field, applicants need to demonstrate more than a novel idea. The judging panel – made up of industry experts, investors and FoodNavigator editors – is focused on a combination of innovation, impact and scalability.
Key themes that stand out include:
- Breakthrough innovation: A clear, differentiated solution to a real industry challenge
- Impact on the food system: Tangible benefits for sustainability, nutrition, efficiency or supply chains
- Commercial viability: A credible pathway to scale, with strong market potential
- Technical strength: Use of cutting-edge science or technology to deliver results
- Market understanding: Clear positioning and awareness of customer needs
Judges are ultimately asking a simple question: Does this startup have the potential to meaningfully reshape the future of food?
What winning looks like: Lessons from past champions
Looking at previous winners and finalists offers insight into what separates the strongest entrants.
Last year, CropSto Packaging won in the APAC region for its multi-layered, hermetically sealed packaging used for coffee, cocoa, tea, sugar, rice, spices, maze and other grains. CropSto’s portfolio of storage bags and liners create an oxygen-tight barrier to ensure food is preserved during transport.
Scottish biotech startup BioMara took the 2025 EMEA win with its seaweed-based ingredient, Seafibrex. The ingredient combined nutrition, functionality taste and affordability, while also delivering strong environmental sustainability and commercial impact.
Meanwhile, biotech startup Michroma recently won the 2026 Americas heat during Future Food-Tech San Francisco for its fungi-based fermentation platform to create natural colors amid ongoing reformulation challenges to remove synthetic dyes across the US food supply. Michroma illustrated its platform can address cost, supply and performance – all hurdles facing natural color production.
A platform for growth
Beyond recognition, the Global Food Tech Awards finalists and winners receive:
- Editorial coverage on FoodNavigator
- Exposure to investors and global food companies
- Opportunities for partnerships and scale-up
- Industry validation from an expert judging panel
For early-stage companies, that visibility and acknowledgement can be transformative, turning emerging innovation into commercial reality.
Who should apply?
The awards are open to early-stage startups (under five years old) headquartered in the APAC region working across any part of the food and beverage value chain, including ingredients and processing to digital technologies, packaging and supply chain solutions.
If your startup has a bold idea with the potential to disrupt the industry, this is your chance to showcase your technology, product or service to a global audience.
How to enter
Applications for the APAC heat are now open and free to submit for qualifying startups.
Deadline: September 11
Startups can apply here:
