The Sustainable Food Challenge 2026 is a call launched by MassChallenge to identify startups and scaleups offering innovative solutions in the field of sustainable food. The aim is to connect these projects with leading international food corporations in order to foster pilots, collaborations or investments.
The initiative seeks to promote circular economy practices throughout the entire food chain – from production and farming to transport, processing, waste reduction, traceability and sustainable packaging. Specific areas of interest include:
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Alternative ingredients (innovative proteins, fats, etc.)
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Human nutrition and food health
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Regenerative agriculture and AgTech
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Sustainable supply chains, logistics optimisation and decarbonisation
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Sustainable packaging and new materials
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Valorisation of agricultural by-products (upcycling)
Key dates:
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Application deadline: 17 November 2025, 23:59 CET
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Information webinar: 6 November 2025, 16:00 CET
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Final event: June 2026 in Switzerland, where selected startups will present their solutions alongside their corporate partners.
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Selected startups will receive CHF 1,000 to cover travel expenses to the final event.
Main requirements:
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Product at prototype stage or proof of concept supported by data (TRL ≥ 5).
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Strategic fit with one of the partner corporations.
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Development stage between seed and Series C+.
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Proposals must demonstrate impact (reducing emissions/waste, improving efficiency in the food chain), viability and scalability.
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Open to start-ups from any geography, with the ability to collaborate with European companies and travel if required.
More information can be found in the official website of the call.
Source: https://apply.masschallenge.org/en-us/mcch-sustainable-food-challenge-2026