About
The FoodTech Challenge was first launched by Tamkeen and the UAE Food Security Office in 2019 under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The second FoodTech Challenge, a collaboration between Tamkeen and the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, was launched during EXPO2020 Dubai in the presence of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, HH Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, HE Mohammed Al Gergawi, and HE Faisal Al Bannai.
In just two editions, the competition has garnered over 1,100 applications from start-ups across 98 countries.
Now in its third edition, the FoodTech Challenge is offering its largest prize yet – $2m in cash – to help winners make tangible progress in scaling their start-ups.
In addition to an emphasis on the UAE market, the competition includes explicit pathways for impact in underserved markets in the Global South.
Leadership
The FoodTech Challenge is Co-chaired by Her Excellency Mariam Almheiri, Head of the Office of International Affairs at the Presidential Court, and Rima Al Mokarrab, Chair of Tamkeen.
Presidential Court of the UAE since January 6, 2024; and was also appointed in the same month as the CEO of 2pointZero an International Holding Company (IHC) subsidiary.
H.E. AlMheiri served as the UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment from September 2021 till December 2023, where she spearheaded the United Arab Emirates’ comprehensive efforts to accelerate climate action, safeguard ecosystems, enhance biodiversity and strengthen food security by developing and implementing impactful strategies, policies, and initiatives. Her former official roles included being appointed Minister of State for Food Security (October 2017 – July 2020) and then Minister of State for Food and Water Security (July 2020 – September 2021). In these roles, she led the monitoring of national food stocks and water supply, directed investments in food technology innovation and built international partnerships. She also led infrastructure development to achieve the country’s food security objectives in line with the goals of the UAE Centennial 2071.
H.E. Almheiri has a Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the Rheinisch Westfälische Technische Hochschule (RWTH) in Aachen, Germany.
Rima Al Mokarrab is Executive Director of the Strategic Affairs Unit of the Executive Affairs Authority (EAA). The EAA provides analysis and advice on a variety of portfolios to the President of the UAE, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Ms. Al Mokarrab is on the Board of Trustees of New York University, and on the Board of Trustees of the Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies (ECSSR). Ms. Al Mokarrab also is Chair of Tamkeen, an organization that plans, develops, and delivers projects on behalf of the UAE, and co-founded and currently co-chairs the annual Abu Dhabi Ideas Forum in partnership with the Aspen Institute. She is the Vice Chair of the Board of Zayed University. She previously sat on the Board of the UAE Space Agency.
Organizers
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International Affairs Office at the Presidential Court
The Presidential Court was formerly known as the Ministry of Presidential Affairs. The Ministry had been established on November 1, 2004, by Federal Decree-Law No. 4 of 2004, under which the Office of His Highness the President of the United Arab Emirates and the former Presidential Court, or ‘Diwan’ as it was known, were merged to form the new entity. His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan was appointed as Minister of Presidential Affairs in the same year. In July 2022, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, issued a new Federal Decree-Law that amended some of the provisions of Federal Decree-Law No. 4 of 2004 regarding the establishment and organisation of the Ministry of Presidential Affairs. It also renamed the Ministry as the Presidential Court, while the title of Minister of Presidential Affairs became that of Minister of the Presidential Court. Additionally, the term ‘the Ministry’ would now be replaced by the term ‘the Court’.
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Tamkeen
Tamkeen is a company that partners with leading local and international institutions to deliver projects that enrich the social, cultural, and educational landscape of the UAE.
Previous Winners
Winners of previous editions have had remarkable successes, raising additional funding, launching joint ventures, and deploying their solutions in the UAE.
Aquagrain
UK
Aquagrain, producing soil enhancers with food waste, has finalized a $2.5m JV with Abu Dhabi’s waste management company, Tadweer, to install a local pilot production facility and has commenced growing trials with Silal, testing the efficacy of their product on a number of crops.
Sustainable Planet, using water lentils to create protein isolates without arable land or fresh water, has enrolled in Hub71 and is finalizing a $5m investment to scale-up in UAE
RevolFood
UAE
RevolFood (formerly Revoltech), adding proprietary electromagnetic pads into traditional blast freezing to preserve the taste & nutritional value of frozen food, has entered Hub71 and is pursuing commercial agreements with major food outlets
Orbisk
Netherlands
Orbisk, using AI-enabled cameras to quantify food waste, has installed its equipment in over 20 hotels across the UAE, including the Sofitel on the Palm. Currently exploring opening a UAE office and has hired a country manager, based in Dubai to service their growing number of clients across the GCC
Global Food Security
By 2050, the world must feed an estimated 2 billion more people. With its arid desert climate, scarce arable land, and limited fresh water, the UAE is already experiencing challenges that will increasingly be faced by other countries.
