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

The challenge will convene bright minds at three major events across the globe: London, United Kingdom on November 14; Amsterdam, The Netherlands  on November 19; and San Francisco, United States also on November 19. Participants are called to present their innovative   solutions that can empower different regions of the world – from mature to emerging and developing markets – to mitigate postharvest food spoilage through affordable and scalable methods, thereby enhancing food security, quality, safety, and market access.

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

At the events, participants will be asked to pitch their ideas to a panel of esteemed judges, concentrating their efforts in one of four specific 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 Programme’s Food Waste Index Report 2024, the latest data from 2022, shows 1.05 billion tonnes 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 are seeking to cultivate solutions that not only tackle food waste but also advance sustainable development. We are eager to witness the emergence of these new ideas and their evolution into practical, impactful strategies.'”

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