FoodTech 500 Program 2026 for AgriFoodTech Startup and Scaleup Companies

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Applications are open for FoodTech 500 Program 2026. The FoodTech 500 showcases international AgriFoodTech startup and scaleup companies that are acting as a force of good for creating a brighter future of food. Inspired by the Fortune 500, Forward Fooding is proud to present the FoodTech 500, the world’s first definitive list of the global entrepreneurial talent at the intersection between food, technology and sustainability.

The FoodTech 500 is the ‘Fortune 500’ of the FoodTech sector – a ranking of the top 500 AgriFoodTech companies in the world. Their mission is to raise the public profile of AgriFoodTech and give visibility to the most innovative companies in the sector, showcasing their valiant efforts in tackling the varied challenges our food system faces. We have created a set of criteria to unify, rank and score the businesses that would define the future of food.

The big differentiator of the FoodTech 500 is that it is a global initiative. Its global coverage provides a more accurate picture of where we are in food tech by showcasing the latest developments from international startup and scaleup companies across the entire supply chain.

FoodTech 500 Benefits

Industry Prestige: Gain recognition as one of the top players in the AgriFoodTech industry, thanks to the world’s first Global FoodTech ranking.
Global Exposure in Forward Fooding’s network: Access a vast network of industry stakeholders (22K+ industry contacts), including C-level Executives at Fortune 500 F&B companies, international investors and government representatives among others.
Showcasing Awesomeness: Be featured on the official FoodTech 500 website and the Official White Paper, putting your brilliance on display for the world to see, with over 50K+ downloaded reports on our website.
Highly-curated Industry Events: Get the opportunity to be a speaker or exhibitor at our international gatherings, conferences, and meetups, where you’ll get to network with the best innovators and industry experts out there.

Now in its eighth edition, this global initiative offers a comprehensive view of the current state of food technology by featuring the latest advancements from international startup and scaleup companies throughout the entire supply chain.

Eligibility Criteria

All startups and scaleups from the Food Tech (or ‘AgriFoodTech’) sector – from early stage to more established businesses, operating all across the food supply chain. At Forward Fooding we define Food Tech as ‘the emerging sector exploring how technology can be leveraged to create efficiency and sustainability in designing, producing, choosing, delivering and enjoying food.’ You can find out more about how we define Food Tech here.

On top of fitting the above definition, there are 3 main baseline criteria for submitting an application:

The company needs to be incorporated
The company needs to have an active website
The company is less than 15 years old
Some sub sectors they are focusing on include:
- alternative proteins, vertical farming, packaging & materials, surplus & waste management, restaurant tech, bio-engineered ingredients, circularity, functional foods, food processing innovation, food safety & traceability, nutrition, kitchen robotics, irrigation & water tech, precision farming , Ag biotech and more.