Lineage, the world’s largest global temperature-controlled warehouse REIT, has announced the launch of its groundbreaking initiative, the Food Chain Innovation Challenge. This global competition invites students and startups to develop and pitch innovative solutions aimed at addressing one of the world’s most critical issues: food waste, especially postharvest losses.

Read also: Lineage Joins Global Initiative to Explore Sustainable Frozen Food Standards and Reduce Carbon Emissions

The challenge will bring together bright minds at three major events around the world: London, United Kingdom on November 14; Amsterdam, The Netherlands on November 19; and San Francisco, United States on November 19. Participants are called to present their solutions to mitigate postharvest food spoilage through affordable and scalable methods, enhancing food security, quality, safety, and market access in both mature and developing markets.

Winners from each regional event will receive a cash prize. Additionally, an overall winner will be selected from the regional winners and announced in December. The grand prize winner will gain entry into an incubator program designed to help refine their business development skills and scale their solution effectively.

Participants will pitch their ideas to a panel of esteemed judges, focusing on one of four areas:

-Reducing food waste: Introduce technologies and strategies to diminish food loss from farm to market.
-Innovative food preservation techniques: Propose novel methods that enhance food longevity and reduce spoilage.
-Access to nutritious food: Improve the logistics of food distribution to enhance the availability of nutritious foods in underserved areas.
-Data-driven insights and analytics: Employ analytics and IoT to optimize supply chains and reduce waste.

“According to the UN Environment Program’s Food Waste Index Report 2024, the latest data from 2022 shows 1.05 billion tons of food went to waste — an amount sufficient to nourish billions. This reality is stark, especially considering that over 783 million individuals globally suffer from undernourishment. By reducing food waste, we can significantly enhance global food security and address hunger,” said Greg Lehmkuhl, President and CEO of Lineage.

“At Lineage, we are dedicated to spearheading innovation across the global food supply chain. Through our Food Chain Innovation Challenge, we aim to cultivate solutions that not only tackle food waste but also advance sustainable development. We are eager to see these new ideas evolve into practical, impactful strategies.”

The Food Chain Innovation Challenge underscores Lineage’s commitment to sustainability and improving global food storage, transport, and distribution management. Interested participants can apply here. For a glimpse into the 2023 Hackathon, the predecessor to The Food Chain Innovation Challenge held in Amsterdam, watch this video. Additionally, hear insights from last year’s winner to get inspired and understand the impact of winning this prestigious challenge.