The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), a nonprofit scientific association committed to advancing the science of food and its application across the global food system, is proud to announce that Seeding The Future Foundation will once again be sponsoring the Startup Pavilion pitch competition at IFT FIRST Annual Event and Expo, the largest global food science and innovation expo that is being held July 12-15, 2026, at McCormick Place in Chicago. The rapid-pitch competition showcases product innovations in the early stages—from pre-seed to growth stage—and is open only to Startup Pavilion exhibitors. Each year, up to 100 startups showcase their innovations in the Startup Pavilion to investors, buyers, ingredient providers, business professionals, product developers, and food scientists.
The winner of the pitch competition receives a $10,000 cash prize and the two runners-up each receive $2,500 in cash prizes courtesy of the Seeding The Future Foundation, which accelerates high-impact innovations to improve food systems globally through various programs and partnerships, including the Seeding The Future Global Food System Challenge.
“Sponsoring the IFT FIRST startup pitch competition is just one way Seeding The Future Foundation is helping empower visionary entrepreneurs whose ideas have the potential to deliver meaningful and lasting impact. Bold, science-driven innovation is essential to creating a more sustainable, equitable, and resilient food system for everyone, and we are honored to support this great IFT initiative,” said Bernhard van Lengerich, PhD, founder of Seeding The Future Foundation.
Last year’s winner was Plantible for Rubi Protein™, its functional and nutritional plant-based protein ingredient that food manufacturers to replace eggs, dairy ingredients, and synthetic emulsifiers with a single clean ingredient. Other previous winners include Scentian Bio (2024) for its synthesized insect olfactory receptor biosensor that can measure smell and taste, and Helaina (2023) for its work around using precision fermentation to manufacture proteins at scale, starting with Lactoferrin, a protein that supports cognitive health and antimicrobial defense while enhancing nutrient absorption.
“The challenges facing our food system require new and creative ideas,” said IFT CEO Christie Tarantino-Dean. “The Startup Pavilion at IFT FIRST highlights entrepreneurs who are creating solutions to those challenges. We’re proud to work with Seeding The Future Foundation to help accelerate that journey and drive meaningful progress for people and the planet.”
Startups that are interested in participating in this year’s pitch competition can reserve their Startup Pavilion booth now, alongside other startups, including Onego Bio, NuCicer Inc., Plantible, GrowinCo, and more. Startup Pavilion spots are limited to 100 on a first-come, first-serve basis. Registration for IFT FIRST Annual Event and Expo opens in March 2026. Leading up to IFT FIRST 2026, the global food community can join IFT’s ‘First-to-Know’ group and get exclusive early access to everything about IFT FIRST before anyone else, including keynote speaker announcements, session topic reveals, registration information, and housing updates.
