Food Chain Innovation Challenge
Food Chain Innovation Challenge
Calling all innovators, developers, designers and entrepreneurs!
Lineage is inviting forward-thinking students and startups from across the world to help address the complexities of the food supply chain, explore new perspectives, and propose innovative solutions that can reshape how we feed the world.
The teams who present the best ideas at each regional event will receive a $5,000 cash prize. Additionally, one overall winner will be selected to receive a $50,000 award and to participate in an incubator program organized by Lineage to further scale or develop the proposed solution.
Welcome to Lineage’s Food Chain Innovation Challenge
The Challenge
Postharvest food waste poses a significant global challenge, affecting food security, quality, and market access. The absence of affordable and scalable solutions accelerates this issue, resulting in the loss of valuable food resources that could nourish millions.
During Lineage’s Food Chain Innovation Challenge, participants will present their innovative technologies or data solutions that address postharvest food waste, considering its multifaceted impact on communities and economies.
Harness the power of technology and data to fight food waste
Participants are encouraged to focus their solutions on one of the following themes:
Reducing food waste
Technologies and strategies to minimize postharvest food waste across the supply chain, from farm to market, considering factors such as storage, transportation, and distribution.
Innovative food preservation techniques
Novel methods or devices for preserving food freshness and quality, extending shelf life, and reducing spoilage, especially in resource-constrained environments.
Access to nutritious food
Design solutions to improve access to nutritious food in underserved areas by addressing challenges such as food distribution logistics, affordability, and availability of fresh produce.
Data-driven insights and analytics
Utilize data analytics, IoT devices, and other technologies to gather insights into food supply chains, identify areas of waste, and optimize resource allocation for maximum efficiency.
2023 Challenge Winner
"It is really cool that people are willing to support your dream and to support your vision, I think that gave me a sense of control and direction I did not have before."
Meet our judges
Click on the headshots below to read bios for each of our judges.
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Amsterdam | Toine Timmermans | Toine Timmermans is the managing Director of the foundation Food Waste Free United, the National private-public partnership in the Netherlands, www.foodwastefreeunited.com. He is also program manager Sustainable Food Chains at Wageningen University & Research. He coordinated both EU projects FUSIONS and REFRESH, focusing on innovation and research in food waste prevention at EU-level. www.eu-refresh.org He is member of the EC-Food Loss and Food Waste platform and Non-Executive Director at the Board of End Food Waste Australia.
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Amsterdam | Enno Masurel | Enno Masurel (born 6 December 1959) is Full Professor in Sustainable Entrepreneurship at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, since 2004. His graduated in business economics; in the last decade he has moved into the direction of business administration and entrepreneurship. He is the director-founder of the VU Center for Entrepreneurship and chairman of the Examination Board of the joint VU & UvA master Entrepreneurship. His key activities are: Education: the compulsory course The Entrepreneurial Venture, supervision of master’s theses and internships in the joint MSc Entrepreneurship, various electives in entrepreneurship at beta faculties and the International Summer School New Venture Creation in the Amsterdam Entrepreneurial Ecosystem. Research & PhD’s Supervision: with focus on the determinants of successful entrepreneurship and small business performance, with special reference to innovation, sustainable entrepreneurship and the life cycle of the small firm.
San Francisco | Danielle Todd, Founder and Executive Director, Make Food Not Waste | Danielle founded Make Food Not Waste in 2017 initially as a vehicle to reduce the amount of food waste in households. Since then, the organization has become a leading voice for food waste reduction in the state of Michigan. Make Food Not Waste currently provides city-wide food waste reduction programming, operates two Upcycling Kitchens in Detroit, and offers technical training for food service operations. Danielle is a frequent speaker on the topic of food waste and holds an MBA from Wayne State University and a BA from the University of Michigan.
San Francisco | Angel Veza, Capital, Innovation, & Engagement, Senior Manager, ReFED | Angel Veza serves as ReFED's Capital, Innovation, & Engagement Senior Manager, working to catalyze the adoption of top food waste solutions. In her position, she manages The ReFED Catalytic Grant Fund, leads programs that bolster the ecosystem of food waste startups, and provides strategic advisory to businesses and funders. Previously, she worked with the Food Waste team at World Wildlife Fund supporting the development of the Hotel Kitchen Toolkit, a resource designed to enable the hospitality industry to proactively reduce food waste. As an expansion of that, she worked in supply chain and led strategic sourcing and procurement with a focus on waste reduction at Manahtta Restaurant, part of Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group in New York City.
San Francisco | Michael Wara, Director of the Climate and Energy Policy Program, Senior Research Scholar, and Senior Director for Policy at the Sustainability Accelerator at Stanford University | Michael Wara is the Director of the Climate and Energy Policy Initiative at Stanford's Woods Institute for the Environment as well as the Senior Director of Policy at the Sustainability Accelerator within the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability. Wara leads cross-functional teams that work to innovate solutions, provide fact-based analysis to policymakers, and conduct research on problems in the energy, wildfire, and food spaces. Prior to founding the Climate and Energy Policy Program, Wara was an Associate Professor at Stanford Law School. Wara holds a JD from Stanford Law School and a PhD in Ocean Sciences from the University of California at Santa Cruz.
San Francisco | Jeff Rivera, Chief Operating Officer, Lineage | Jeff Rivera oversees Lineage’s operations across the organization as Global Chief Operations Officer. As Global Chief Operations Officer, he and his team are focused on creating operational excellence across the company through flawless execution, ensuring top-quality customer experience and making Lineage a great place to work. As a values-focused, servant leader Jeff is committed to creating a strong company culture where every team member can thrive. Prior to joining the Lineage team, Jeff held several leadership positions at Con-Way Freight, Menlo Worldwide Logistics and General Motors. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Michigan Technical University and a Master’s degree from Stanford University.
London | Simon Millard, Director of Food for Fareshare | Simon leads FareShare’s relationships with the UK Food Industry, helping secure access to the surplus food which FareShare provides to thousands of charities using food in the delivery of their social purposes. Simon has worked in the UK food industry for 25 years, both in major manufacturers such as Mars and Premier Foods, and in technology & consultancy services to the UK food industry, in IBM, and most recently as a Commercial Director in IRI. Simon and his team are committed to growing the volume of food made available to UK charities, to both reduce the environmental impact of food waste, and for the social goodness delivered by the front-line charities we serve.
Amsterdam | Sean Vanderelzen, Lineage | Sean Vanderelzen serves as Chief Human Resources Officer at Lineage, where he leads all aspects of the company’s Human Resources function. Under his leadership, the Human Resources department is committed to serving as a strategic partner to the business by fostering a dynamic, values-based culture and driving employee engagement. Prior to joining the Lineage team, Sean held a variety of leadership positions both domestically and internationally at General Motors. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Trevecca University.
Amsterdam | Esteban Arriaga Miranda | Esteban Arriaga Miranda is a dynamic and results-
driven leader with over 15 years of experience guiding international organizations toward
sustainable growth and operational excellence. As the CEO of the European Food Banks
Federation (FEBA), Esteban leverages his extensive background in managing multicultural,
interdisciplinary teams to advance the Federation’s mission. His career has been marked by a
commitment to reducing food waste and promoting environmental sustainability, ensuring
that strategic priorities translate into tangible, impactful outcomes. With a track record of
fostering innovation and collaboration, Esteban is dedicated to engaging stakeholders and
expanding the Federation's reach, driving progress in Europe’s food sector. As CEO of
FEBA, Esteban spearheads initiatives aimed at reducing food waste and promoting
environmental stewardship, aligning the Federation's work with sustainability and social
goals.
London | Harriet Lamb | Passionate about environmental and social issues, Harriet is an experienced leader who, in the UK and globally, built the Fairtrade movement – a certification scheme that sets standards to make trade fairer, working with producers in the developing world as well as thousands of companies and retailers.
She has also led Ashden, which promotes climate solutions in the UK and globally, and International Alert, a peacebuilding organisation. She worked in the UK on refugee and low-pay issues and lived in India for six years.
Harriet joined WRAP as CEO in March 2023 with an ambitious vision to scale our impact in the UK and internationally.
Harriet has won several awards including a CBE, Orange Businesswoman of the Year, and Cosmopolitan EcoQueen. She was also the first woman Honorary Fellow of Trinity Hall, Cambridge, and has published two books on social and environmental movements for change.
London | Paul Randle | Paul Randle is co-founder of the Sustainable Marketing Compass and co-author of Sustainable Marketing - The Industry’s Role in a Sustainable Future.
A leading expert and speaker on sustainable marketing, he is CEO of Pickle Consulting Ltd and tutor at the Cambridge University Institute for Sustainability Leadership.
With over 30 years of global marketing experience covering organisations like Microsoft, E.ON, Philips, AkzoNobel, PepsiCo, Honda, VISA, Denstsu and AVIVA, Paul’s mission is to transform marketing from an engine over consumption to a regenerative force for good.
UK | Claire Walters | Regional Vice President for Lineage UK, a leading company in the temperature-controlled logistics industry. In her role, Claire delivers exceptional service to Lineage’s UK customers across 13 warehouses and a nationwide transport network. She has held this role since July 2022. Claire serves on the Cold Chain Federation Board, and the charity Air Ambulances UK, chairing the Risk and Audit Committee.
Claire brings a strong logistics background and track record in commercial and transformational leadership. She focuses on developing and mentoring talented people and developing long-term customer partnerships. Previously, Claire worked at Unipart as Managing Director of their Technology and Consumer Logistics business, and then Chief Commercial Officer across the wider business. Claire holds a Law degree from the University of Birmingham.
In her spare time, Claire loves travelling and has a passion for cycling and hiking, frequently leading her local cycling club.
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Amsterdam | Toine Timmermans | Toine Timmermans is the managing Director of the foundation Food Waste Free United, the National private-public partnership in the Netherlands, www.foodwastefreeunited.com. He is also program manager Sustainable Food Chains at Wageningen University & Research. He coordinated both EU projects FUSIONS and REFRESH, focusing on innovation and research in food waste prevention at EU-level. www.eu-refresh.org He is member of the EC-Food Loss and Food Waste platform and Non-Executive Director at the Board of End Food Waste Australia.
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Amsterdam | Enno Masurel | Enno Masurel (born 6 December 1959) is Full Professor in Sustainable Entrepreneurship at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, since 2004. His graduated in business economics; in the last decade he has moved into the direction of business administration and entrepreneurship. He is the director-founder of the VU Center for Entrepreneurship and chairman of the Examination Board of the joint VU & UvA master Entrepreneurship. His key activities are: Education: the compulsory course The Entrepreneurial Venture, supervision of master’s theses and internships in the joint MSc Entrepreneurship, various electives in entrepreneurship at beta faculties and the International Summer School New Venture Creation in the Amsterdam Entrepreneurial Ecosystem. Research & PhD’s Supervision: with focus on the determinants of successful entrepreneurship and small business performance, with special reference to innovation, sustainable entrepreneurship and the life cycle of the small firm.
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San Francisco | Danielle Todd, Founder and Executive Director, Make Food Not Waste | Danielle founded Make Food Not Waste in 2017 initially as a vehicle to reduce the amount of food waste in households. Since then, the organization has become a leading voice for food waste reduction in the state of Michigan. Make Food Not Waste currently provides city-wide food waste reduction programming, operates two Upcycling Kitchens in Detroit, and offers technical training for food service operations. Danielle is a frequent speaker on the topic of food waste and holds an MBA from Wayne State University and a BA from the University of Michigan.
San Francisco | Angel Veza, Capital, Innovation, & Engagement, Senior Manager, ReFED | Angel Veza serves as ReFED's Capital, Innovation, & Engagement Senior Manager, working to catalyze the adoption of top food waste solutions. In her position, she manages The ReFED Catalytic Grant Fund, leads programs that bolster the ecosystem of food waste startups, and provides strategic advisory to businesses and funders. Previously, she worked with the Food Waste team at World Wildlife Fund supporting the development of the Hotel Kitchen Toolkit, a resource designed to enable the hospitality industry to proactively reduce food waste. As an expansion of that, she worked in supply chain and led strategic sourcing and procurement with a focus on waste reduction at Manahtta Restaurant, part of Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group in New York City.
San Francisco | Michael Wara, Director of the Climate and Energy Policy Program, Senior Research Scholar, and Senior Director for Policy at the Sustainability Accelerator at Stanford University | Michael Wara is the Director of the Climate and Energy Policy Initiative at Stanford's Woods Institute for the Environment as well as the Senior Director of Policy at the Sustainability Accelerator within the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability. Wara leads cross-functional teams that work to innovate solutions, provide fact-based analysis to policymakers, and conduct research on problems in the energy, wildfire, and food spaces. Prior to founding the Climate and Energy Policy Program, Wara was an Associate Professor at Stanford Law School. Wara holds a JD from Stanford Law School and a PhD in Ocean Sciences from the University of California at Santa Cruz.
San Francisco | Jeff Rivera, Chief Operating Officer, Lineage | Jeff Rivera oversees Lineage’s operations across the organization as Global Chief Operations Officer. As Global Chief Operations Officer, he and his team are focused on creating operational excellence across the company through flawless execution, ensuring top-quality customer experience and making Lineage a great place to work. As a values-focused, servant leader Jeff is committed to creating a strong company culture where every team member can thrive. Prior to joining the Lineage team, Jeff held several leadership positions at Con-Way Freight, Menlo Worldwide Logistics and General Motors. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Michigan Technical University and a Master’s degree from Stanford University.
London | Simon Millard, Director of Food for Fareshare | Simon leads FareShare’s relationships with the UK Food Industry, helping secure access to the surplus food which FareShare provides to thousands of charities using food in the delivery of their social purposes. Simon has worked in the UK food industry for 25 years, both in major manufacturers such as Mars and Premier Foods, and in technology & consultancy services to the UK food industry, in IBM, and most recently as a Commercial Director in IRI. Simon and his team are committed to growing the volume of food made available to UK charities, to both reduce the environmental impact of food waste, and for the social goodness delivered by the front-line charities we serve.
Amsterdam | Sean Vanderelzen, Lineage | Sean Vanderelzen serves as Chief Human Resources Officer at Lineage, where he leads all aspects of the company’s Human Resources function. Under his leadership, the Human Resources department is committed to serving as a strategic partner to the business by fostering a dynamic, values-based culture and driving employee engagement. Prior to joining the Lineage team, Sean held a variety of leadership positions both domestically and internationally at General Motors. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Trevecca University.
Amsterdam | Esteban Arriaga Miranda | Esteban Arriaga Miranda is a dynamic and results-
driven leader with over 15 years of experience guiding international organizations toward
sustainable growth and operational excellence. As the CEO of the European Food Banks
Federation (FEBA), Esteban leverages his extensive background in managing multicultural,
interdisciplinary teams to advance the Federation’s mission. His career has been marked by a
commitment to reducing food waste and promoting environmental sustainability, ensuring
that strategic priorities translate into tangible, impactful outcomes. With a track record of
fostering innovation and collaboration, Esteban is dedicated to engaging stakeholders and
expanding the Federation's reach, driving progress in Europe’s food sector. As CEO of
FEBA, Esteban spearheads initiatives aimed at reducing food waste and promoting
environmental stewardship, aligning the Federation's work with sustainability and social
goals.
London | Harriet Lamb | Passionate about environmental and social issues, Harriet is an experienced leader who, in the UK and globally, built the Fairtrade movement – a certification scheme that sets standards to make trade fairer, working with producers in the developing world as well as thousands of companies and retailers.
She has also led Ashden, which promotes climate solutions in the UK and globally, and International Alert, a peacebuilding organisation. She worked in the UK on refugee and low-pay issues and lived in India for six years.
Harriet joined WRAP as CEO in March 2023 with an ambitious vision to scale our impact in the UK and internationally.
Harriet has won several awards including a CBE, Orange Businesswoman of the Year, and Cosmopolitan EcoQueen. She was also the first woman Honorary Fellow of Trinity Hall, Cambridge, and has published two books on social and environmental movements for change.
London | Paul Randle | Paul Randle is co-founder of the Sustainable Marketing Compass and co-author of Sustainable Marketing - The Industry’s Role in a Sustainable Future.
A leading expert and speaker on sustainable marketing, he is CEO of Pickle Consulting Ltd and tutor at the Cambridge University Institute for Sustainability Leadership.
With over 30 years of global marketing experience covering organisations like Microsoft, E.ON, Philips, AkzoNobel, PepsiCo, Honda, VISA, Denstsu and AVIVA, Paul’s mission is to transform marketing from an engine over consumption to a regenerative force for good.
UK | Claire Walters | Regional Vice President for Lineage UK, a leading company in the temperature-controlled logistics industry. In her role, Claire delivers exceptional service to Lineage’s UK customers across 13 warehouses and a nationwide transport network. She has held this role since July 2022. Claire serves on the Cold Chain Federation Board, and the charity Air Ambulances UK, chairing the Risk and Audit Committee.
Claire brings a strong logistics background and track record in commercial and transformational leadership. She focuses on developing and mentoring talented people and developing long-term customer partnerships. Previously, Claire worked at Unipart as Managing Director of their Technology and Consumer Logistics business, and then Chief Commercial Officer across the wider business. Claire holds a Law degree from the University of Birmingham.
In her spare time, Claire loves travelling and has a passion for cycling and hiking, frequently leading her local cycling club.
Frequently asked questions
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Lineage’s Food Chain Innovation Challenge provides a unique opportunity for participating teams to:
- Connect: Network with industry professionals, mentors and fellow participants from around the world.
- Learn: Experts in the food and logistics fields will be on site to provide real-time feedback and guidance to teams to help them develop their proposals.
- Get Funded: The team with the winning entry selected by the judges in each region will receive a cash prize. Each of the regional winners will then enter a final round of global judging, competing for additional prize money and exclusive access to an executive-led incubator program organized by Lineage.
- Create Impact: Make a difference by addressing real-world issues and contributing to a sustainable future.
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The application form asks participants to describe their ideas. Compelling entries and presentations should aim to reduce waste, enhance food preservation techniques, and improve accessibility to nutritious food. Additionally, it should be adaptable to various socio-economic contexts, ensuring scalability and affordability. Participants may also upload a short (5-7 slides) pitch deck with additional information (optional).
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The application window for the 2024 event has closed. Please revisit this page for future event updates.
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All entrants will receive notification via email of the decision on their entry by the end of October 2024.
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The judges will grade each presentation based on a rubric with the following criteria:
- Explanation of problem and challenge
- Clarity of the proposed solution
- Creativity of the proposed solution
- Scalability of the proposed solution
- Response to jury questions
- Presentation skills
- WOW Factor
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Each team will be given 5 minutes to set up and prepare their presentation materials on the day of the event.
Each team will have 5 minutes to pitch their idea to the panel, followed by a 5-minute Q&A session with the judges.
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Teams on-site may consist of 1 – 4 people. Projects may have a larger group of contributors that are credited.
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Yes, participants can enjoy refreshments provided throughout the day, including a light breakfast, full lunch, snacks, and a cocktail reception with canapes to wrap up the evening.
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Eligibility
- Participants: Open to students and entrepreneurs of all ages, genders, backgrounds, geographies and industries. Individuals or teams can participate.
- There are no country restrictions, but entrants must be eligible to receive prizes (if they win) and it is their responsibility to pay any taxes on the prize winnings.
- Business stage: The competition is open to startups and early-stage companies.
- Compliance: All entries must comply with local business regulations and laws.
Team Formation and Registration- Participant team Size: Teams may consist of 1 to 5 members.
- Changes to team members are not permitted after September 30, 2024. Exceptions can be made on a case-by-case basis by the Food Chain Innovation Challenge committee.
- Teams should be made up exclusively of participants who are not organizers, volunteers, judges, sponsors, or in any other privileged position at the event.
- Judges are not eligible to participate in the Food Chain Innovation Challenge. They may, however, provide teams with advice and support ahead of the pitches on the day of the event.
- Participants/Teams must submit a detailed business plan, including market viability, product or service description, financial projections, and clearly state the impact their solution will have on minimizing post-harvest food waste.
- Applications must be received by September 30, 2024, and no late submissions will be accepted.
Project Presentation- All project ideas are welcome, providing it is original, and falls into one of the following categories:
- Teams will be judged on the quality and execution of their pitch, rather than the novelty of the idea, providing it falls under one of the following categories:
- Reducing food waste: Introduce technologies and strategies to diminish food loss from farm to market.
- Innovative food preservation techniques: Propose novel methods that enhance food longevity and reduce spoilage.
- Access to nutritious food: Improve the logistics of food distribution to enhance the availability of nutritious foods in underserved areas.
- Data-driven insights and analytics: Employ analytics and IoT to optimize supply chains and reduce waste.
- Each team will be given 5 minutes to set up and prepare their presentation materials on the day of the event.
- Each team will have 5 minutes to pitch their idea to the panel, followed by a 5-minute Q&A session with the judges.
Intellectual Property- Teams retain ownership of their ideas and intellectual property.
- Teams are responsible for protecting their intellectual rights before participating in the competition.
Judging Criteria- Innovation: Originality and creativity of the idea.
- Viability: Practical implementation of the idea and potential for success.
- Impact: Potential market impact and benefit to the industry or society.
- Presentation: Clarity, persuasiveness, and professionalism of the presentation.
- Team capability: Ability of the team to execute the plan.
Prizes- One regional winner will be selected at each in-person event and will receive a cash prize.
- One overall winner will be selected from the three regional winners. The overall winner of the Food Chain Innovation challenge will gain access to a network of industry experts for mentorship and guidance in the form of an incubator program.
Code of Conduct and Disqualification- Teams are expected to conduct themselves professionally during the event.
- Honesty and integrity in presentation and materials are required, and all presentations should be original.
- Respect for other participants, judges, and organizers is mandatory.
- Projects that violate the Code of Conduct will be disqualified.
- Teams can be disqualified from the competition at the organizers discretion. Reasons may include, but are not limited to, breaking the Competition Rules or breaking the Code of Conduct.
Miscellaneous- The organizers reserve the right to make changes to the event and rules at any time.
- Decisions made by the judges are final and binding.
- Participants: Open to students and entrepreneurs of all ages, genders, backgrounds, geographies and industries. Individuals or teams can participate.
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Unfortunately, we cannot cover any travel expenses for participants.
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No. Participants will be required to attend onsite the day of the event at their selected venue.
Thank you to our esteemed partners & sponsors!
Our sponsor list is growing. Check back soon for an updated list.
Contact Us
Have questions or need more information? Email us at [email protected].
