Again by standard demand for a second yr, the World Meals Tech Awards 2026 is shaping as much as be one other extremely aggressive showcase of innovation.
Finalists for the Americas warmth have now been revealed, with the winner and runners as much as be introduced at Future Meals-Tech in San Francisco, March 19 to twenty.
This yr’s finalists, listed beneath in alphabetical order, show how immediately’s innovators are rising to the problem of delivering optimum vitamin in an more and more advanced and resource-constrained world.
From circularity to AI-driven molecule discovery, clean-label preservation and extra, these firms spotlight the extraordinary lengths meals‑tech companies are taking to ship progress in opposition to the chances.
World Meals Tech Awards Head Choose and FoodNavigator editor-in-chief Jess Spiring stated: “It’s clear that meals‑tech innovators should not solely shaping product classes, however the way forward for meals itself.
“This yr’s finalists are tackling a number of the most pressing challenges in our business, from waste valorization and biomanufacturing to subsequent‑era vitamin and clear‑label preservation. Congratulations to our Americas finalists; it was a tough‑gained battle to make it onto this shortlist.”
The awards had been judged this yr by a distinguished panel of consultants, who had been:
- The educational: Kara E. Leong, government director, Integrative Middle for Different Meat and Protein (iCAMP)
- The NGO government: Andy Jarvis, director, way forward for meals, Bezos Earth Fund
- The VC investor: Shayna Harris, co-founder and managing accomplice, Provide Change Capital
- The large model: Olaf Gruess, director of partnerships, Cargill
- The journalist: Elizabeth Crawford, senior editor, FoodNavigator-USA
Additionally learn → The EMEA and APAC heats are actually open for entry
The GFTA Americas finalists
A Cincinnati‑based mostly meals‑tech start-up that makes use of AI-power to energy its AgWaste Portal to remodel agricultural and meals‑processing aspect streams into excessive‑worth practical elements. This contains pure zero‑calorie sweeteners and umami enhancers, in flip unlocking hidden molecules in waste to create cleaner, extra sustainable and price‑environment friendly options for meals, beverage, and private care manufacturers.
Argentina-based start-up, BioBlends has developed gas-based bio-preservatives (utilizing bacterial risky natural compounds) that stretch shelf life, particularly in bakery, with out altering style or texture. This allows clean-label merchandise and lowering meals waste.
A San Francisco–based mostly biotech start-up, Fermeate was spun out of Princeton College and makes use of optogenetics (photomolecular fermentation) to regulate microbes with mild. This doubles yields and slashes GHG emissions and may be plugged into current fermentation setups to supply all the pieces from sweeteners to specialty chemical substances extra sustainably, in keeping with the corporate.
New York–based mostly Joyn Meals is a food-tech innovator that blends animal-based meat with premium mushrooms (through its 50CUT line) to spice up umami, vitamin and yield, all whereas halving carbon footprint.
Argentina-based biotech innovator Kresko RNAtech isolates and stabilizes dietary ribonucleic acids (supernutrients misplaced after harvest) to create practical elements that help intestine, metabolic, pores and skin and psychological well being, which is all powered by AI-driven discovery and bioinformatics.
Additionally learn → See the highest 30 international meals tech firms 2025
Vancouver-based food-tech start-up Maia Farms gained NASA’s Deep Area Meals Problem and makes use of mushroom mycelium fermentation to create high-protein, clean-label elements (textures, powders, recent codecs) for bakery, snacks, hybrid meats and extra. Its product gives 66g protein per 100g, is natural/vegan and scalable manufacturing to round 200t a yr.
A biotech start-up that makes use of precision fermentation and artificial biology to show filamentous fungi into scalable, secure, pure meals colours (like their heat- and pH-resistant “Crimson+”) and flavors, aiming to switch petrochemical dyes with clean-label, sustainable elements.
Minnesota-based cleantech start-up SCO2 makes use of patented supercritical CO₂ extraction to upcycle meals and agri-waste and processes 5 to 50 tons an hour with out pre-grinding to get better oils, flavors, and bioactives, turning waste into income whereas chopping prices and emissions.
A vitamin start-up making a subsequent‑era, non‑GMO yeast‑derived protein with a Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Rating of 1.0 (the very best potential rating) and clinically validated efficiency –matching whey in muscle, power and endurance beneficial properties – whereas providing superior digestibility, gut-health advantages and clear, solvent‑free sustainability.
Household-founded, Kansas-based sustainable beverage firm Attempt pioneered aseptic processing and now gives “dairy with out the cow.” Shelf-stable, animal-free whey protein milks (like Attempt FreeMilk) are made through precision fermentation with Good Day, delivering actual style, 10g protein, 75% much less sugar and round 97% decrease GHG emissions than conventional milk.
