Stage time
Winners are announced in front of a full conference room, with photography and press coverage from the edition.
Food Innovation Awards
Recognising the people feeding the future
The What's Next in Food Awards celebrate the researchers, brands and innovators making food systems more sustainable, safer and more nourishing. Winners are announced live on stage in Barcelona, in front of academics, industry leaders and policymakers.
- 16+
- Award categories
- 3
- Days of programme
- 100%
- Independent jury scoring
Why enter
Recognition that travels further than a trophy
Credible benchmark
Entries are scored by independent researchers and practitioners against published criteria — no pay-to-win categories.
Buyer and funder trust
A shortlist badge is a shortcut to credibility with retailers, investors and research partners.
Team morale
Public recognition for the scientists, growers and operators who did the work.
The categories
Sixteen ways to be recognised
Enter as many categories as genuinely apply. Each entry is judged on its own merits by the jury panel assigned to that category.
Organisations
- Food Company of the Year
- Most Innovative Food Startup
- Best Agritech Innovator
- Food Research Institute of the Year
Products & technology
- Best Alternative Protein Product
- Best Functional or Nutrition Product
- Best Food Safety Technology
- Best Sustainable Packaging Innovation
- Best Use of AI in Food Innovation
People
- Food Scientist of the Year
- Nutrition Researcher of the Year
- Rising Star in Food Science (under 35)
- Women in Food Innovation Award
Impact
- Regenerative Agriculture Award
- Food Waste Reduction Award
- Food Security & Global Nutrition Award
How entries are judged
Four criteria, equally weighted
Real-world impact
Documented outcomes — nutrition, emissions, waste, yield, safety or adoption — not roadmaps or pilots.
Scientific originality
How novel the approach is, and how well it stands up against readily available alternatives.
Scale & adoption
Depth of deployment: consumers reached, volumes produced and the durability of the results.
Sustainability & safety
Environmental footprint, traceability, food safety and responsible sourcing baked into delivery.
The process
From nomination to the gala night
- Step 1
Nominations open
Submit your entry online — self-nominations and third-party nominations both welcome.
- Step 2
Shortlisting
Entries are screened for eligibility and scored against the published criteria.
- Step 3
Jury review
An independent panel of researchers, industry experts and policy specialists scores every shortlisted entry.
- Step 4
Winners revealed
Trophies are presented live on stage at the gala night in Barcelona.
Hall of fame
Past awardees
Winners recognised at the AgriNext Awards & Conference editions in Dubai. Each award ceremony is recorded on our YouTube channel.
Excellence in Digital Transformation in Agrigenomics
Rajesh Perianayagam
Watch the moment ↗Excellence in Agriculture Leaders - Outstanding Young Agri-EntrepreneurHamayun Shabir
Watch the moment ↗Excellence in Agriculture Industry – Urban & Smart Farming Innovation AwardLykyn
Watch the moment ↗Excellence in Agriculture – Global Regenerative Agriculture TrailblazerHolistic Planet
Watch the moment ↗Excellence in Agriculture Industry – Leadership in Youth EmpowermentNuffield Ireland
Watch the moment ↗Excellence in Agriculture Industry – Agri-Biotech Solutions AwardKaryosoft Inc
Watch the moment ↗Excellence in Agriculture – Climate-Smart Agriculture Solutions AwardFarmia IoT Limited
Watch the moment ↗Excellence in Agriculture – Digital Agriculture Transformation AwardFarmia IoT Limited
Watch the moment ↗Excellence in Agriculture – Agri-Fintech Innovation of the YearFarmia IoT Limited
Watch the moment ↗Entries are open
Put your work in front of the jury
Choose the edition you want to enter, then complete your nomination on the Next Business Media portal. Sponsorship and jury applications run through the same flow.