Eight startups. Four award categories. One shared ambition: empowering young entrepreneurs to build a more sustainable, resilient and inclusive agrifood systems.
After months of pitching, mentoring and acceleration, eight startups from the 2026 MassChallenge Switzerland Accelerator are heading to Rome for the World Food Forum (WFF) Startup Innovation Awards (SIA) Finals to recognize some of the world’s most innovative young innovators.
Selected from 801 applications spanning 111 countries, these young innovators have made it through a highly competitive process to reach the final stage of the sixth edition of SIA.
Their journey began with SIA, powered by MassChallenge Switzerland. 12 pre-finalists were invited to join the MassChallenge Switzerland Accelerator Programme 2026, in which they accessed expert-led workshops, mentorship, networking and market guidance to sharpen their businesses and prepare for the next stage of the competition.
From bottom left to right: Juan Guillermo López – KIMERU; Svyatoslav Gusev – Ceres FieldCheck; Tariq A. – Firdous Biotech; Mayicel Benavides Hernandez – KIMERU.
Now, eight finalists will take the stage at the 2026 WFF flagship event at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) headquarters in Rome, on 14 October, showcasing solutions spanning food processing, climate resilience, food security and women’s empowerment.
Innovation across the agrifood systems
What makes this year’s finalists particularly exciting is the diversity of challenges they are tackling, and the different ways technology can help transform agrifood systems.
Digital Innovation in Food Processing
ESGSAT – Singapore
ESGSAT is building what it describes as a “digital nervous system” for food processing. Combining IoT and AI, its technology aims to detect spoilage faster and reduce energy waste in food-processing operations. The startup’s solution is designed to help food manufacturers improve efficiency, reduce waste and strengthen food safety.
“MassChallenge has been transformative for ESGSAT. The programme’s rigorous mentorship and dynamic network have been instrumental in helping us refine and scale our satellite technology and AI-driven solutions. It has empowered us to turn ambitious visions into tangible tools for climate risk assessment and resilience, ensuring our technology can create meaningful, localised impact where it is needed most.” – Natalia Mykhaylova, Founder & CEO of ESGSAT.
Seedsight – Portugal
Seedsight is bringing advanced technology to grain quality assessment. Its platform uses AI and optical technology to analyze seeds and grains rapidly, helping the food and agriculture sector make faster, more informed decisions while reducing waste and improving efficiency. The startup has also raised Euro 1.78 million to support its growth in the agri-food sector.
“We have been trying to get in MassChallenge for a long time, so we are very excited to be here. The programme has the main partners, like Bühler, Louis Dreyfus Company, Mars; everything is about food, sustainability, climate change, and impact. And the recognition by the FAO is huge for us, we feel very honoured.” – Joana Paiva, Co-founder & CEO of Seedsight.
Enhancing Climate Resilience and Water Security
Ceres FieldCheck – Germany
Ceres FieldCheck is tackling one of agriculture’s most persistent challenges: keeping crops healthy while reducing reliance on chemical inputs. Its autonomous agricultural robot, Luke, is designed to inspect crop health and remove weeds, turning them into eco-fertilizer. By making precision technology more accessible to smaller farms, Ceres FieldCheck aims to support healthier soils, more resilient farms and more sustainable farming practices.
“MassChallenge is the sweetest accelerator I’ve ever been part of. When we joined, we were at our lowest point, and now it’s amazing to see how quickly we’re growing, thanks to the mentors and advisors. We’re in the best place we could have imagined.” – Poojitha Nellipudi, Co-founder and CEO of Ceres Field Check.
Firdous Biotech – Oman
From Oman, Firdous Biotech develops biological solutions designed to help agriculture thrive in challenging environments. Its organic agricultural inputs address issues including low soil fertility, heat, salinity and pests, helping farmers build more resilient farms and access premium organic markets. Its broader biotechnology work also explores sustainable water treatment, marine protection and renewable energy.
“At MassChallenge we get so many connections. We didn’t come from an academic or corporate background, and at this point it’s very important for us to build those connections.” – Tariq Akbar, Founder & CTO of Firdous Biotech.
Fighting Malnutrition and Enhancing Food Security
O’PASTA – Pakistan
O’PASTA is developing a food innovation designed to address nutrition and food security challenges in Pakistan. As part of the WFF Startup Innovation Awards, the startup is bringing its solution to a global stage, demonstrating how locally relevant food innovations can contribute to healthier and more resilient food systems.
“MassChallenge has been an incredible catalyst for us. Through world-class mentorship, we gained deep insights into European regulations, unlocked the nuances of the regional startup ecosystem, and mapped out a clear roadmap for our future expansion across Europe.” – Maryam Siddique, Founder & CEO of O’PASTA.
Ustawi Nutritional Care Limited – Kenya
Ustawi Foods is turning an everyday agricultural challenge into an opportunity to improve nutrition. Founded in Kenya’s Makueni County, the social enterprise transforms surplus mangoes and indigenous crops into nutritious, affordable food products. Its portfolio includes biofortified sweet potato flour and nutrient-rich blends made from sorghum, pumpkin and amaranth. Today, Ustawi reports supporting more than 500 farmers while reducing food waste.
“We are the seeds that have been planted by MassChallenge, and I believe from that seed we are going to grow to be a better global group.” – Judy Mwende Mutunga, Founder & CEO of Ustawi Foods.
Empowering Women in Agrifood Systems
CornHouse – Cameroon
CornHouse is a social enterprise working to improve the livelihoods of rural maize farmers in Cameroon. By combining safe storage, maize-backed collateral and collective market access, the startup helps farmers reduce post-harvest losses, access affordable credit and secure better prices for their crops.
“As an early-stage startup, it’s a very interesting opportunity to meet those who are already excelling in the field, and learn from them.” – Rodrigue Jinyuy Birka, Founder & Managing Director of CornHouse.
KIMERU – Colombia
KIMERU is putting digital tools directly into the hands of smallholder farmers. Through WhatsApp, the platform helps farmers organise information about their production, strengthen their negotiating position and connect with buyers. By turning fragmented information into a more structured view of agricultural supply, KIMERU aims to give small-scale farmers greater access to fairer and more predictable markets.
“In Colombia there are not so many opportunities for agtechs platforms and solutions, so MassChallenge is a high opportunity for us. We want to build the infrastructure, but we need help to scale it. We have learnt so much from the persons who are here. It is also amazing to learn about the other solutions and how they are trying to change the world.” – Mayicel Benavides Hernandez, Co-founder and CEO of Kimeru.
From acceleration to global stage
Behind these eight startups is a journey that reflects what the MassChallenge Accelerator is designed to do: give ambitious founders the support, connections and environment they need to turn promising solutions into scalable businesses.
For SIA cohort, that journey included a dedicated MassChallenge Switzerland Accelerator experience in Lausanne. The programme brought together founders from across the world to challenge their business models, sharpen their pitches, connect with experts and explore opportunities for growth.
The result is a group of finalists representing eight different countries across four continents, united by a common goal: using innovation to address some of the most urgent challenges facing our agrifood systems.
And their journey is not over yet.
Next stop: Rome
On 14 October, the eight finalists will present their solutions live at the WFF flagship event at FAO headquarters in Rome.
Beyond the four category awards, a select group of startups will also be considered for the Excellence in Applied AI Award, presented by Extreme Tech Challenge, recognising innovative applications of applied intelligence across the competition’s categories.
The WFF Startup Innovation Awards are powered by MassChallenge Switzerland, with the support of Seeding the Future Foundation, Smart Solutions for Agri-food Innovation Hub (SS4A) and Extreme Tech Challenge.
From smarter food processing to climate-resilient agriculture, better nutrition and stronger opportunities for smallholder farmers, these eight startups are showing what can happen when young innovators are given the platform, networks and support to scale their ideas.
Lausanne was just the beginning. Rome is next.
⏰ Planning to join in Rome? In-person registration closes tomorrow on 7 October at midnight CEST. Here is the link of registration.