In Brazil, farmers in even the most remote areas are using satellite-powered, solar-driven AgTech tools to make smarter decisions and boost yields. Learn how remote-first design is reshaping agricultural technology by tackling connectivity challenges head-on—offering lessons for global food resilience.
AgriFoodTech startups across the Asia-Pacific are making big waves in the 2024 FoodTech 500 rankings, driving innovation in sustainable food production, alternative proteins, precision farming, and more. With 61 APAC companies among the finalists, the region is quickly becoming a global powerhouse shaping the future of food.
Vertical farming has moved beyond the hype cycle. With billions raised and some high-profile setbacks, the sector is now focused on what really matters: capital efficiency. From modular farms and co-location strategies to AI optimization and renewable integration, new models are proving that smarter design — not just bigger fundraising — is the key to scaling vertical farming sustainably and profitably.
Showcasing their dominance on the global stage, North American AgriFoodTech startups consistently represent over a fifth of the finalists in Forward Fooding's annual FoodTech 500. The region's ecosystem is thriving against a backdrop of global investment challenges, fueled by landmark funding rounds and pioneering advancements in precision farming, vertical agriculture, and alternative proteins.
Check out what some of the FoodTech 500 Alumni have been up to lately with our latest round-up (August - September 2025 Edition)
The FoodTech 500 is back for 2025 with unprecedented global impact! This seventh edition offers enhanced value propositions for AgriFoodTech innovators, from elite recognition to access to 20,000+ industry professionals. With over 10,500+ applications received across six editions and reach spanning 180+ countries, join the definitive ranking of food technology leaders driving industry transformation.
Check out what some of the FoodTech 500 Alumni have been up to lately with our latest round-up (July 2025 Edition)
We’re witnessing a groundbreaking shift in the global food system, driven by the Ag Biotech revolution. From bioengineered crops to carbon-sequestering farms, this wave of innovation is making our agriculture more sustainable, resilient, and productive.
Check out what some of the FoodTech 500 Alumni have been up to lately with our latest round-up (June 2025 Edition)
The 2024 FoodTech 500 features a dynamic cohort of new companies redefining food and agricultural technology. These rising stars are innovating across the entire food value chain, with significant impacts in areas like agricultural biotechnology, sustainable protein production, waste reduction, and the application of digital solutions.
Check out what some of the FoodTech 500 Alumni have been up to lately with our latest round-up (May 2025 Edition)
Check out what some of the FoodTech 500 Alumni have been up to lately with our latest round-up (April 2025 Edition)
Check out what some of the FoodTech 500 Alumni have been up to lately with our latest round-up (March 2025 Edition)
Check out what some of the FoodTech 500 Alumni have been up to lately with our latest round-up (February 2025 Edition)
Bio-engineered crops are transforming agriculture, offering drought-resistant solutions amid climate change. Explore the latest advancements, key technologies, and emerging startups driving this revolution.
Check out what some of the FoodTech 500 Alumni have been up to lately with our latest round-up (January 2025 Edition)
Soil degradation poses a significant challenge to ecosystems and global food security. Fragile soils in desert and water-scarce environments are particularly vulnerable to the combined pressures of human activity and climate change, which can threaten agricultural productivity and biodiversity. This third installment of our Water Tech series examines how these technologies are building resilience in agricultural systems worldwide by improving soil health.
Check out what some of the FoodTech 500 Alumni have been up to lately with our latest round-up (December 2024 Edition)
Check out what some of the FoodTech 500 Alumni have been up to lately with our latest round-up (November 2024 Edition)
Agriculture guzzles up nearly 70-80% of the world’s freshwater. But with climate change and growing water scarcity, traditional irrigation just won’t cut it. Enter smart irrigation—a tech-savvy solution using IoT, AI, and sensors to deliver water precisely when and where it’s needed, supporting sustainable farming and a greener future.
Check out what some of the FoodTech 500 Alumni have been up to lately with our latest round-up (October 2024 Edition)
CRISPR gene editing is reshaping the future of agriculture, offering the potential to fortify crops against harsh conditions, improve [...]
Vertical farming has been lauded for its potential to provide fresh produce throughout the year, regardless of location or climate. However, recent challenges have presented the industry with some obstacles to overcome. A reduction in venture funding and rising energy costs have led to a series of setbacks, including layoffs, delayed farm construction, and even business closures. In the following interview with Sepehr Achard, Chief Executive Officer of iGrow News, a leading news provider for indoor farming and controlled environment agriculture, we understand what has led us to this point and what to expect moving forward.
What if we could grow a gram of pure protein extract inside a plant? Molecular farming proposes to do just that. Plant molecular farming (PMF) is an application of biotechnology that traditionally involves using genetically modified plants to produce useful products such as pharmaceuticals, industrial enzymes and vaccines. Genetically modified plants are used as “bioreactors” to produce the desired products, which can then be harvested and purified for use. Recently, the sector started to make headlines as a few companies gained prominence for their use of this technology in the food industry
This wave of interest in Vertical/Indoor farming solutions could be attributed, albeit partially, to rising concern about climate change’s impacts on food production. Vertical farming is seen by many as a compelling alternative to traditional resource-intensive agriculture. Its sustainability promises, paired with the growing demand for shorter, more reliable supply chains, have contributed to the sector gaining traction over the years.
Agriculture is perhaps the sector that has been and will suffer the most from climate change. With 72% of all water withdrawals used by agriculture and 12 million hectares of land lost to desertification, land degradation and drought every year, a revolution in the primary sector is needed in order to be able to face upcoming difficult years.
According to EIT Food, it is estimated that by 2054, roughly 11% of our global protein consumption will consist of edible insects. This is not just a sign of preferences that evolve along with our world, but also a coordinated response to a collective concern.
The good news is: the AgriFoodTech investor landscape is changing fast, and improving. Over the past couple of years, we have seen a lot more specialist VCs emerging, not only with a true knowledge of the sector, but also with a very holistic approach when it comes to their investment thesis.
While FoodTech startups started burgeoning in the early 2010s, investments in the space only took off in 2016, as evidenced in our FoodTech Data Navigator. Indeed 93% of the $163B invested in the sector to date were deployed over the past 5 years, and this is also when 70% of all AgriFoodTech companies were founded.
The global agrifood market is in a crisis. UN Secretary-General António Guterres described the situation as a “perfect storm”: the war in Ukraine, the COVID pandemic, and climate change are among the many global emergencies that are exerting stress on food supplies to untenable levels.
Forward Fooding Data shows that investors throughout the world further their investment in the vertical farming industry as the sector has already totaled nearly USD 1.4Bn in the first 5 months of 2022 compared to USD 2Bn throughout 2021.
On 22nd June 2022, we were super excited to host in our Barcelona Food & FoodTech Innovation Hub, in partnership with Talent Garden. We brought together a mix of FoodTech startups, investors and experts to deep dive on the topic and we had a great turnout of over 80+ people coming from all over Spain and beyond. We absolutely enjoyed sharing, learning, and enabling meaningful connections among like-minded people who want to build a more efficient and sustainable food supply chain.
Since the crisis began in February, Ukrainian farms and ports have been disrupted and economic sanctions have been imposed on Russia.
The 2020 FoodTech 500 edition is officially live! The FoodTech 500 is the ‘Fortune 500’ of the FoodTech sector [...]
Working in the FoodTech industry never gets old. It seems that with every minute that goes by, something new is [...]
The Foodtech sector is constantly evolving, primarily driven by more and more innovative companies that have build tech solutions from [...]
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