Carrot Ventures × XPRIZE Food & AgTech Innovation Challenge 2026

Carrot Ventures, operated by Verdex Capital and working with XPRIZE Canada Hub, is inviting global food and agricultural technology submissions that can produce more, use resources better or help the sector adapt faster. The challenge is designed to move promising innovations towards validation, commercialisation and real-world adoption, with a clear focus on value for Canadian producers, food businesses and consumers. Challenge tracks Track A, Food Innovation, covers areas such as food processing and preservation, packaging, food safety and traceability, logistics, supply-chain intelligence, waste reduction and ingredient innovation. Track B, Produce More With Less, covers technologies such as biologicals, animal health, precision and digital agriculture, robotics and automation, sensors, monitoring and AI-enabled decision support. Benefits The challenge offers a US$150,000 prize. Participants may also gain visibility through XPRIZE Canada Hub and partner networks, access to customers, industry leaders and investors, commercialisation and venture-building support, validation opportunities and strategic partnerships. Selected opportunities may be considered for up to US$1.5 million in follow-on investment, subject to due diligence and investment approval. How applications are assessed Reviewers will consider the significance of the problem, technical differentiation, measurable impact, customer value, commercial pathway, venture scalability, team commitment and the innovation's credible route to adoption in Canadian agriculture or food systems. How to apply Use the official online form to provide contact and organisation details, choose a challenge track, describe the intellectual property and development stage, and explain the innovation, the problem it addresses, its advantage over alternatives, target users and potential contribution to Canadian agriculture. Applicants may attach up to two supporting PDF, DOC or DOCX files, each no larger than 15 MB. The competition period runs from 6 October to 31 December 2026. The official page does not state a closing timezone, so applicants should submit early. Important conditions The follow-on investment is not guaranteed. Participation does not create a contractual commitment, and Carrot Ventures reserves the right to award no challenge prize or more than one prize. Applicants are responsible for their own assessment and application costs.

Open globally to innovators, researchers, startups, technology transfer offices, corporations and producers with a food or agricultural technology that has a credible route to benefiting Canadian producers, food businesses or consumers. Applications may cover innovations at ideation or concept, proof-of-principle, proof-of-concept, prototype or in-market stage. Applicants must select either the Food Innovation track or the Produce More With Less track, describe the relevant intellectual property, show measurable customer and sector value, and explain the route to commercialisation and adoption in Canada. Strong submissions should demonstrate a committed technical or commercial team, defensible differentiation, scalability and measurable impact on productivity, resource efficiency, resilience, safety, quality, waste or unit economics.