Homegrown startup HyveGeo named winner of FoodTech Challenge, with pioneering solution to 'green the desert'

• HyveGeo named a winner of FoodTech Challenge, a global competition to identify and scale the world's promising agri-tech solutions
• UAE startup one of four global winners selected from more than 1,200 entries across 113 countries, following final pitch to judges during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
• Winners share a US$2 million prize and will receive ecosystem support to develop and scale their solutions from the UAE to global markets

ABU DHABI, UAE, Jan. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- HyveGeo, an Abu Dhabi-based startup that uses engineered biochar to convert arid desert soil into fertile farmland, has been announced as one of four winners of the FoodTech Challenge during a live finale at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. The company was selected from a pool of ten global finalists chosen from an initial 1,215 submissions across 113 countries.

The FoodTech Challenge identifies and scales the world's most promising agri-tech solutions to boost food production and reduce food loss and waste in arid and increasingly climate-stressed environments. Now in its third edition, the competition is organized by the International Affairs Office at the UAE Presidential Court and Tamkeen, in partnership with the Gates Foundation, ne'ma (The UAE's National Food Loss and Waste Initiative) – and Silal, a leading UAE agri-food company.

HyveGeo, founded in 2023 by a team of scientists and researchers, will share a USD 2 million prize and receive further in-kind support to develop and scale their pioneering solution from the UAE's thriving innovation ecosystem to the world. This includes research and technical support, pilot opportunities, market access, and incubation and acceleration services.  

Former UAE winners of the FoodTech Challenge have gone on to sign commercial agreements with international brands and expand operations to new markets.

About HyveGeo:

• Challenge: Around 100 million hectares of healthy land are lost to degradation every year, impacting global crop yields and accelerating climate change
• Mission: Harness wasted resources to turn arid soil into arable land, boosting sustainable local food production while locking away carbon
• Innovative solution: Converts agricultural waste into carbon-rich biochar, supercharging it with microalgae to cut soil regeneration time from five years to one month
• Future plans: Scale across Abu Dhabi's 20,000 farms, with the ultimate goal of restoring 10,000 hectares of land and removing 1 million tons of CO₂ from the atmosphere by 2035

Abdulaziz Bin Redha, Founder and CEO of HyveGeo, commented on the win: "Winning the FoodTech Challenge is a strong validation of our work. For us, this isn't a finish line but a responsibility to deploy faster and contribute meaningfully to food security in arid environments and the global south. The UAE has provided the right environment to test and scale solutions designed for arid regions, and we are proud to represent that innovation journey.

"Our solution is engineered specifically for desert conditions, and it meets multiple needs at once: waste conversion, soil regeneration, water efficiency, and carbon removal, through a single integrated system. The funding and support from the FoodTech Challenge will allow us to expand our operations, strengthen our partnerships with municipalities, waste operators, land managers, and agricultural stakeholders, and accelerate the deployment of our solutions the UAE and other arid and climate-stressed regions."

HyveGeo was named a winner of the FoodTech Challenge alongside global startups Permia Sensing, Akorn Technologies and Flybox, whose operations span Asia, Africa and South America. They follow in the footsteps of previous FoodTech Challenge winners, who have gone on to raise more than $48 million in follow-on funding, launch more than 50 pilot projects, and successfully localize their technologies for the UAE, before scaling across similar environments.

To learn more about the FoodTech Challenge and this year's winners, visit: www.foodtechchallenge.com.

About the FoodTech Challenge (FTC)

The FoodTech Challenge (FTC) is a global competition that identifies and supports leading early-stage, tech-driven solutions poised to transform food systems in arid, hot, and increasingly challenging environments. The competition is delivered by the International Affairs Office at the Presidential Court of the UAE and Tamkeen in partnership with ne'ma, the UAE's Food Loss and Waste Initiative; Silal, the UAE's leading agtech company; Gates Foundation, Clinton Global Initiative, and other key partners.

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