Business Wire

CA-XPRIZE

Share
In Competition to Discover Tomorrow’s Proteins, XPRIZE Unveils Semifinalist Teams in XPRIZE Feed the Next Billion

Today, XPRIZE is pleased to announce the 28 semifinalist teams moving forward in XPRIZE Feed the Next Billion. The $15 million competition, launched in December 2020, is aimed at reinventing how humanity will feed future generations by incentivizing the production of structured chicken breast or fish fillet alternatives that replicate or outperform conventional chicken and fish in access, environmental sustainability, animal welfare, nutrition and health, as well as taste and texture.

Selected by the competition’s panel of judges, the 28 semi-finalist teams were chosen based on their technical submissions and represent 14 countries.

Over the next year, semifinalists will work closely with the competition’s ecosystem and sponsors, which include ASPIRE and The Tony Robbins Foundation, as they begin to develop the first iteration of their products. From the Semifinalist teams, up to 10 Finalist teams will be chosen based on the merit of their technical solution prototypes towards the end of 2022 and will split a milestone award of $2.5 million. Finalist teams will enter one last round of solution development before final judging which will award one grand prize team a prize of $7 million, second & third place prizes of $2 and $1 million respectively, and a bonus prize of $2 million. The winning teams will need to create at least twenty-five cuts of structured chicken breast or fish fillet analogs of 115 gram or four ounce that replicate the sensory properties, versatility, and nutritional profile of conventional chicken or fish.

XPRIZE is pleased to share that the following teams have been selected to move forward in the competition:

“Over the past several years, as our global population continues to grow and the demand for meat products increases, it has become clear that our current global food chain cannot keep up,” said Caroline Kolta, XPRIZE Feed the Next Billion Program Lead. “We know we need more nutritious, environmentally-friendly and sustainable alternatives to conventional animal-based products, and that wide scale adoption will require additional innovation continuously being brought to market. I am thrilled about the international cohort of Semifinalists selected to embark on this journey of innovation and exploration to shape a future of food, starting with chicken and fish.”

The XPRIZE Feed the Next Billion judging panel consists of a diverse, international group of tech industry experts working at the highest levels of academia and research. The 8 judges include:

  • Amy C. Rowat, Associate Professor of Integrative Biology and Physiology at the University of California, Los Angeles
  • Brian Jacobson, Assistant Director of Pilot Plant Operations University of Illinois, Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory (IBRL)
  • Dan Blaustein-Rejto, Director of Food & Agriculture at The Breakthrough Institute
  • Kantha Shelke, Ph.D., Founder and Principal at Corvus Blue LLC
  • Dr. Keith Cox, Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Seafood Analytics, Assistant Professor of Marine Fisheries at The University of Alaska Southeast (UAS)
  • Dr. Laura Domigan, Biomaterials Scientist, University of Auckland, New Zealand
  • Dr. Marcos Sanchez-Plata, Associate Professor, Global Food Security - Animal and Food Sciences at Texas Tech University
  • Olivia Ogilvie, Postdoctoral Fellowship in Cellular Agriculture with a Specific Focus on Cultured Meat - The University of Auckland

XPRIZE Feed the Next Billion originated from the Future of Food Impact Roadmap , an in-depth analysis by XPRIZE of global food system challenges, which found alternative proteins at-scale to be a critical impact area requiring significant technological advances, decreased price points, and notable shifts in consumers’ preferences. The competition was then launched with the support of partners including ASPIRE, a part of Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC) , the technology programme management pillar of Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC) which shapes research and development for transformative technology outcomes and defines Abu Dhabi’s R&D strategy, The Tony Robbins Foundation , The Good Food Institute , Foundation for Food and Agriculture , District 3 , New Harvest , and Proveg International . Through the development of chicken and fish alternatives, teams competing in the prize will work to ensure that, as the world grows in wealth, the availability of sustainable food can meet the coming demand for food products that allow the next billion to live active and healthy lives.

To learn more about XPRIZE Feed the Next Billion, visit xprize.org/feed.

ABOUT XPRIZE

XPRIZE, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is the global leader in designing and implementing innovative competition models to solve the world’s grandest challenges. Active competitions include the $100 Million XPRIZE Carbon Removal with Elon Musk, $20 Million NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE, $15 Million XPRIZE Feed the Next Billion, $10 Million Rainforest XPRIZE, $10 Million ANA Avatar XPRIZE, $5 Million IBM Watson AI XPRIZE, $5 Million XPRIZE Rapid Reskilling and $1M Digital Learning Challenge. For more information, visit xprize.org.

About ASPIRE

ASPIRE drives the creation of future transformative technologies as the programme management pillar of Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC). ATRC is responsible for defining Abu Dhabi’s research and development strategy, consolidating funds for efficient investment and driving policy and regulation. ASPIRE works in consultation with cross-sector industry stakeholders, universities and research institutes to frame problem statements. It also launches grand challenges and international competitions to solve some of the world’s most pressing issues. ASPIRE brings together exceptional people, ideas, resources and technologies to solve complex challenges. For more information, please visit www.aspireuae.ae .

Connect with us on social media:

LinkedIn

Twitter

Instagram

ABOUT THE TONY ROBBINS FOUNDATION

Founded in 1991, The Tony Robbins Foundation is a nonprofit organization created to empower individuals and organizations to make a significant difference in the quality of life of people often forgotten. Through global programs and initiatives, The Tony Robbins Foundation is dedicated to creating positive changes in the lives of youth, seniors, the hungry, homeless and the imprisoned population. The Foundation helps provide millions of meals globally each year, has awarded over 2,000 grants and other resources to health and human services organizations, implemented curriculum in 1,700 plus correctional facilities and gathered thousands of young leaders from around the world with its teen programs. For more information, visit www.thetonyrobbinsfoundation.org .

Link:

ClickThru

About Business Wire

Business Wire
Business Wire
101 California Street, 20th Floor
CA 94111 San Francisco

http://businesswire.com

Subscribe to releases from Business Wire

Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Latest releases from Business Wire

AB InBev and International Cricket Council Announce Landmark Global Partnership11.12.2025 10:31:00 CET | Press release

World’s Leading Brewer becomes the Official Beer Partner of the ICC The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced AB InBev (Euronext: ABI) (NYSE: BUD) (MEXBOL: ANB) (JSE: ANH), the world’s leading brewer, will become the Official Beer Partner for all major ICC tournaments starting in 2026. The partnership will be led by Budweiser 0.0, Budweiser’s no-alcohol beer in India, with other ABI mega brands activating in Europe and Africa. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251211250826/en/ AB InBev and ICC announce global partnership From attending a match live in-stadium to watching one at a bar or pub with friends, with a lower alcohol-by-volume (ABV) and no-alcohol options like Budweiser 0.0, beer is the natural choice to enjoy responsibly. Through this partnership with the ICC, AB InBev will create more moments of cheers, choice and celebration for cricket fans of legal drinking age all over the world. ICC CEO, S

Spark Reply and Concept Reply Promote CO₂-optimised Charging Together With BMW11.12.2025 10:30:00 CET | Press release

Spark Reply, specialists in design and user experience, and Concept Reply, IoT and AI technology experts within the Reply Group, have developed a smart app for the BMW group as part of a research project that actively encourages electric vehicle drivers to adopt low-carbon charging habits. The “COOL” feature within the BMW Prototyping App “360° Mobility” analyses the current electricity mix and shows users in real time when it is at its cleanest. Playful interactions and personalised AI-generated images further motivate drivers to make more sustainable choices. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251211155452/en/ In a post pilot survey, 73 per cent of participants stated that they were willing to make an extra effort to charge with reduced CO₂ emissions, such as by setting a charging window in their app. This proves that 'COOL' can measurably reduce the carbon footprint of everyday electric driving. Electric mobil

Thales Launches AI Security Fabric, Providing AI Runtime Security for Agentic AI and LLM-Powered Applications11.12.2025 09:00:00 CET | Press release

Thales launches its new AI Security Fabric, delivering the first runtime security capabilities designed to protect Agentic AI, LLM-powered applications, enterprise data, and identities.New capabilities address emerging AI-specific threats—including prompt injection, data leakage, model manipulation, and insecure RAG pipelines—helping organizations innovate safely while maintaining compliance.With upcoming 2026 enhancements, Thales aims to provide a comprehensive security layer for AI ecosystems, enabling enterprises to confidently scale AI adoption across cloud and on-premises environments. AI is one of the fastest-growing technologies in the history of modern business, with the ability to revolutionize industries, optimize operations, and drive innovation, but it is also introducing security gaps, risks, and vulnerabilities. According to McKinsey, 78% of organizations are using AI in at least one business function, up from 55% two years ago. As a result, 73% of them are investing in A

Interactive Brokers Adds Access to Brazil’s B3 Exchange11.12.2025 09:00:00 CET | Press release

Interactive Brokers (Nasdaq: IBKR), an automated global electronic broker, today announced that eligible clients outside of Brazil can now trade Brazilian equities through B3, the Brazil Stock Exchange. This expansion gives investors more ways to access emerging market opportunities across Latin America alongside global stocks, options, futures, currencies, bonds, funds, and more through a single unified platform. The B3 Exchange is one of the most active and liquid markets in the region. With this addition, investors will have direct access to trade Brazilian equities, plus over 160 markets worldwide using Interactive Brokers’ powerful trading platforms and tools. “Global investors need seamless access to diverse markets to stay competitive,” said Milan Galik, Chief Executive Officer of Interactive Brokers. “By adding Brazil’s B3 Exchange, we’re giving our clients efficient, low-cost access to one of the world’s most dynamic emerging economies through our unified global platform.” Int

Kyowa Kirin Announces Proposed Appointment of Abdul Mullick to President and Chief Executive Officer, While Former CEO Masashi Miyamoto to Remain Chairman11.12.2025 08:30:00 CET | Press release

Leadership Changes to Take Effect Following Conclusion of Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders in March 2026Announcement Follows Year of Dual CEO / COO Model and Returns Company to Single Leader Structure Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd. (TSE:4151, Kyowa Kirin), a Japan-based global specialty pharmaceutical company, today announced the Board of Directors’ decision to appoint Abdul Mullick, Ph.D., currently President and Chief Operating Officer (COO), to the role of President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The appointment will become effective March 2026 following the conclusion of the Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders. As Mullick takes on the role of President and CEO for Kyowa Kirin, current CEO Masashi Miyamoto, Ph.D., remains Chairman. In March 2025, shareholders approved a dual CEO / COO model, with Mullick appointed to the newly created role of Chief Operating Officer, partnering with Miyamoto to lead the global organisation. The model provided a transition period for Mullick

In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.

Visit our pressroom
World GlobeA line styled icon from Orion Icon Library.HiddenA line styled icon from Orion Icon Library.Eye