Thought For Food Challenge 2019 ($USD25,000 in cash prizes & all-expenses paid trip to the TFF Global Summit & Academy)

Application Deadline: January 24, 2020

The TFF Challenge calls on the next generation of changemakers from all parts of the world to create breakthrough solutions for sustainable and inclusive food systems. We are looking for locally-relevant solutions that address a wide range of pressing challenges across all parts of the food value chain—from production to distribution through to consumption and waste. By signing up, you will gain access to the TFF Digital Labs and have the chance to win travel, perks and cash prizes.

ELIGIBILITY:

The Challenge is open to individuals between the ages of 18 and 40 at time of entry (each, an “eligible participant”).

In order to participate, teams must be comprised of at least 2 and no more than 5 eligible participants. Teams may be comprised of eligible participants from the same or different disciplines, communities, countries, universities, etc.

Only one entry per team. Employees, vendors and contractors of Foundation and of Foundation donors or their affiliates are not eligible to enter or win.

PRIZE (ROUND 1):

Finalists will receive an expense-paid trip for up to five (5) team members (“Trip”) to the location of the TFF Academy and TFF Summit. The prize includes

(a) round-trip economy-class airfare from Finalists place of residence to the location of the TFF Academy and TFF Summit,
(b) hotel accommodations for the duration of the TFF Academy and TFF Summit,
(c) round trip airport transportation, and
(d) meals during the TFF Academy and TFF Summit. Any taxes due on the Round 1 prize shall be the sole responsibility of Finalist

PRIZES (ROUND 2):

Finalists who complete the TFF Academy will be required to present their project live on stage at the Thought For Food Global Summit, which will occur March 26, 2020. Several prizes will be awarded.

After the judges have made their decisions, the prize winners of Round 2 will be notified at the Summit, as well as via social media and press releases, where the winners and the names of the winners will be displayed. If the selected winners are not eligible, in TFF’s sole judgment, TFF will select a new winner from among the Finalists.

The Grand Prize winner will receive $10,000 USD in grant money to use solely for the purpose of their project.

The Runner Up will receive $7,500 USD in grant money to use solely for the purpose of their project. Foundation partner organizations such will award additional cash prizes – these include:

the Kirchner Award winner will receive $5,000 USD in grant money to use solely for the purpose of their project, selected by the Kirchner Food Fellows and their independent criteria .

The Borlaug Foundation Take it to the Farmer award winner will receive $2,500 USD in grant money to use solely for the purpose of their project, selected by an independent committee determining which innovation most impacts farmers

Judging Criteria

Innovative solutions

TFF commits to being on the cusp of new idea generation. Leverage breakthrough technologies and business models to create a project that is fresh and exciting, in a way that has never been seen before.

Implementation & scalability

Food security solutions require short, medium, and long-term goals that shouldn’t end when our competition is over. The project should be implementable, with scalability potential that puts sustainability first.

Uniqueness

The project should stand out among the wide-array of proposals we see, providing game-changing solutions and embodying a “wow” factor in terms of presentation, so that it gets noticed in a noisy world of innovation and startups.

Team spirit

Being an innovator and an entrepreneur is one of the most exciting and rewarding things one can do. However, it is also a long and demanding journey. The team needs to demonstrate that it is able to withstand these challenges and deliver a solution that will improve lives.

How to Enter

The Challenge will begin on October 16, 2019 and end on January 24, 2020 – with a possible extension to be announced at Foundation’s discretion. To enter, sign up via tffdigitallabs.org beginning at 5:00 PM Central European Time on October 16, 2020 and ending at 12:00 AM Pacific Standard Time on January 24, 2020. Interested participants can sign up at any time in this period.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the Thought For Food Challenge 2019