Enter the Transfarmation competition here.

The UN says it is time to rethink how we grow, share and consume our food.

With a population that is expected to reach 9.7 billion people globally by 2050 and two billion people out of that expected to be undernourished, this, along with increasing climate change, resource scarcity, and land degradation, means creative approaches to food are needed.

New Zealand has long been known for its primary industries, but new forms of food are emerging that are infused with our special brand of Kiwi innovation. Plant-based meats have sprouted, cellular agriculture and alternative protein products have spread across supermarkets and age-old ingredients are being revived into new products.

These include companies like Sunfed Meats, which has developed IP and infrastructure to locally manufacture meat-like products such as chicken-free chicken out of its premium yellow protein, and ?repa, a caffeine-free mental clarity drink that has ingredients derived from New Zealand plant extracts of blackcurrants and pine bark, are vital additions to the food landscape.

Investing in sustainable, innovative practices in agriculture and food production is the way forward to solving some of these problems the world is facing. The criteria for companies or businesses ideas we’re really interested in are those who are:

1. ? Using food waste in an inventive way

2.? Using indigenous ingredients or methods

3. ? Creating a more sustainable form of packaging.

The winner will win an $85,000 prize, which includes a place in Sprout’s future of food accelerator, cash and tickets to the Natural Food Expo in the US in March next year and coverage in Idealog.
 

How to enter

To enter, submit a brief description of your business idea to Shuttlerock and any photos, visuals, media or prototypes that support your concept, considering:

(a) Problem – What is the underlying problem that is being solved?
(b) Description – How does it reimagine how we grow, share or consume our food and/or food packaging? How would you explain it to a child? What stage of development are you at with this idea?
(c) Right to win – Why does it have a right to be successful?
(d) Impact – What impact could it have on the future of food production? How will this be measured?
e) Dream team – What is your dream team of partners that would make success easier? 

When completed, upload your business idea here to the campaign page (thanks, Shuttlerock!) where it will be displayed for all Idealog readers to see. Use the description box to explain your idea, and then upload an image or video support it. We strongly advise including visual media such as a photo, a sketch, or a prototype with your entry to illustrate your idea.

The image and video file sizes and types guide is linked where you submit your entry. 

Entries close 11:59pm 14 November, the deadline has been extended, so nows your chance to get your ideas forward. A panel of judges with representatives from Sprout Accelerator and Idealog will look at the desirability, viability and scalability of each product. 

A shortlist of finalists will be notified by email, and the winner will be announced at an event held at Sprout Accelerator in Palmerston North. 

The prize

Orange County, California

The winner will take home a prize worth $85,000. This includes:

a) A place in Sprout’s accelerator taking place in 2020
b) Mentorship to take your business idea to the next level
c) Cash, flights and tickets to the Natural Products Expo in Anheim, Orange County, California, USA in March 2020
d) A profile of your business in Idealog.

The rules

This competition is open to New Zealanders only. To travel to the US, the winner must have valid documentation (passport, visa and travel insurance) to enter. View the full terms and conditions here.

We look forward to seeing your brilliant ideas for the future of food production, but remember – there’s not much thyme, so make sure you get your entry in. ?