UPDATE ON XPRIZE FEED THE NEXT BILLION

(October 11, 2024) – XPRIZE, the world’s leader in designing and operating large-scale incentive competitions, today announces the conclusion of its XPRIZE Feed the Next Billion competition. XPRIZE Feed the Next Billion was a $15M competition with a very ambitious goal to incentivize teams to produce chicken breast or fish filet alternatives that replicate or outperform conventional chicken and fish in access, environmental sustainability, animal welfare, nutrition, as well as taste and texture. Over the course of the four-year competition, competing teams made incredible strides in the sensory, versatility, and overall quality of their prototypes, developing structured chicken breast and fish filet alternatives that are on a close trajectory to rival traditional counterparts. While the competition resulted in a heightened commitment across alternative meat industry stakeholders to systematically measuring product quality across a range of criteria, after extensive evaluation and rigorous testing, while the teams came close, no grand prize winner was declared. 

XPRIZE Feed the Next Billion Finalist Teams each demonstrated significant progress towards products that will fulfill the promise of alternative proteins. Each team's dedication, extensive R&D, and hard work have measurably advanced the field of alternative proteins, setting the stage for future successes. Over the course of the competition:

• Finalist Teams demonstrably increased their capacity for unit production, with each team meeting the substantial material requirements during Finals. This progress was made without compromising the economic viability or environmental sustainability of these products. 
• Teams provided extensive documentation and underwent rigorous testing to ensure the safety of their products, and XPRIZE actively advanced the collaborative development of alternative meat regulatory and food safety frameworks with policy representatives from the US, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East to support future food policies.
• Teams made incredible strides in replicating the nutritional profile of animal products; All Teams were able to match the protein content of the animal-based product they were attempting to replicate.
• XPRIZE established partnerships with over 25 companies to support 31 Participating Teams through their solution development journey by providing coaching with investor pitches, discounted equipment and services, and access to research and industry reports.

“We embarked on this journey with the ambition to catalyze breakthrough solutions in the realm of alternative proteins and sustainable food production for the growing demand of protein,” said Anousheh Ansari, CEO, XPRIZE. “While a single winner of XPRIZE Feed the Next Billion was not identified, the progress made by our participating teams was nothing short of remarkable and they are all great businesses who will address this need successfully in the coming years.”

A total prize purse of $3M was awarded to participating teams during the semifinals phase of the competition. Participating teams invested significant resources over the course of the competition, including R&D, financial resources, intellect, and talent, attempting to meet the competition's targets. The competition set a high bar of replicating all of the sensory properties, structure, versatility, and nutritional profile of conventional chicken or fish while having a lower comparable environmental footprint, and each finalist team performed impressively in their attempts to meet it. Final testing took place over the summer in Abu Dhabi.

“Our judges were faced with an incredibly difficult decision. The criteria for winning this prize were intentionally rigorous, reflecting the complexity of the global food system challenges we seek to solve,” said Caroline Kolta, program director, XPRIZE Feed the Next Billion. “The competing teams made incredible strides within the accelerated timeline of the competition, and we’re confident their work will continue to make a positive impact as they progress. The efforts and innovations demonstrated during this competition have brought us closer to a future where sustainable, nutritious, and accessible food is available for all, and the knowledge, technologies, and partnerships developed are invaluable assets that will continue to drive the industry forward.” 

“XPRIZE sets incredibly audacious goals; this means sometimes our competitions will not have winners in the timeline we set,” continued Ansari. “XPRIZE Feed the Next Billion ignited a spark within the alternative protein and food sustainability communities, and XPRIZE is more committed than ever to supporting these teams and fostering an ecosystem where their innovations can thrive. We are grateful to our sponsors, especially our Title Sponsor Aspire and Supporting Sponsor Tony Robbins Foundation, for making this competition possible and helping us achieve the impact generated over the past 4 years and in the years to come.” 

“XPRIZE extends its heartfelt gratitude to all the participating teams. Together, we will continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible, driving towards a more sustainable and food-secure future,” said Kolta.

XPRIZE Feed the Next Billion was made possible by support from partners International Center for Culinary Arts (ICCA) Abu Dhabi, Etihad Airways, WSP, Perkins Coie LLP, title sponsor Aspire, and benefactor The Tony Robbins Foundation. 

About XPRIZE

XPRIZE is the recognized global leader in designing and executing large-scale competitions to solve humanity’s greatest challenges. For 30 years, our unique model has democratized crowd-sourced innovation and scientifically scalable solutions that accelerate a more equitable and abundant future. Donate, learn more, and co-architect a world of abundance with us at XPRIZE.org. 

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XPRIZE designs competitions under the advice of expert third parties with a goal to set audacious but achievable targets that will have a positive impact in key areas. The criteria for prizes is selected in concert with third parties to ensure the framework is fair and considerate, and independent judging panels comprised of industry experts have the sole and absolute discretion to declare or not declare winners of any competition.