Call for Applications

UNIDO International Award 2017 for innovative ideas and technologies in agribusiness

April 3, 2017

Application Deadline: 10 April 2017 at 23:59.

The second edition of an international competition called “Innovative Ideas and Technologies in Agribusiness” has been launched by the Italian Investment and Technology Promotion Office of the United Nations Organization for Industrial Development (UNIDO ITPO Italy), in collaboration with the Italian National Research Council (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche CNR), and the Seeds&Chips Global Food Innovation Summit. The contest aims to identify the most innovative technologies and ideas available worldwide in agribusiness, which could lead to social and economic improvement in developing countries. The first edition of the competition was held during Expo Milano 2015.

Requirements

The competition is open to start-ups, small- and medium-sized enterprises and large companies, research organizations and universities, associations and NGO institutions.
In the selection process, particular attention will be given to technologies and innovative solutions that can help improve the processing and conservation of food products, tackle food waste, and valorize agricultural products of small agricultural communities, as well as to technologies that produce energy from alternative sustainable sources.

The proposal submitted by participants to the tender must be from applicants belonging to the following categories:

Micro, small, medium, and large enterprises;
Startups operating in sectors linked to the contest;
Research centers, incubators, Technology Transfer offices, university spin-offs, and academia;
Public-Private Partnerships;
Associations, business consortia and networks, NGOs, as well as public and private foundations linked to the business world and international cooperation.

The joint participation of candidates belonging to different admissible categories, with the adequate indication of the leading applicants, will represent an added value to the project. Belonging to a team will have to be a well-motivated decision.

Award:

At the end of the selection process the jury will select 5 winners: one for the category “Women”, one for the “Young – Under 35” and 3 for the overall category.

Winners will be contacted in the days following the date of closure of the call for proposals and invited to the Award Ceremony scheduled on May 10, 2017 in Milan within the framework of Seeds & Chips, The Global Food Innovation Summit to be held in Rho Fiera Milano from 8 to 11 May 2017.

Specifically, the Award Ceremony will take place during the Special Conference – Inspire Power “Food Security for Developing Countries”.

The winners will also be offered the following services:

Opportunity to participate as a keynote speaker and guest of honor in the Special Conference – Inspire Power “Food Security for Developing Countries” in Seeds & Chips;
Submission of the winner project proposals to MATERIAS, An Early Stage Accelerator for Combined Innovative Startup, in order to evaluate the eligibility for its acceleration program (the assessment will be carried out by the scientific/industrial board and internal investors);
Realization of an ad hoc web page on the winner innovative idea and / or technology within the UNIDO ITPO Italy’s institutional website (unido.it) and assistance in defining a project’s promotional strategy;
UNIDO ITPO Italy’s honest brokering services to access, through ad hoc promotional activities, to the worldwide UNIDO and ITPOs network with the aim to guarantee the maximum visibility to the winner proposal and foster the conclusion of international technical and financial partnerships.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the UNIDO International Award 2017