Deadline Date: December 31, 2025
The MIT Water, Food & Agriculture Innovation Prize offers a compelling opportunity for student‑led startups focused on sustainable solutions for water, food and agriculture.
Each year the Prize awards over $50,000 in innovation grants to early‑stage ventures that aim to address critical challenges in water systems, food production and agricultural sustainability.
To be eligible a startup must have at least one student from a U.S.-based institution and must have received less than $100,000 in funding before applying. This ensures the Prize remains focused on early‑stage ideas and research-driven initiatives. Entrants may propose innovations spanning engineering, product design, data analytics, policy, or novel processes — as long as the proposed solution helps overcome issues related to water, food, or agriculture.
Winners receive grant funding along with mentorship, resources, and access to industry networks — a combination that helps transform academic research or early concepts into viable businesses. Finalist teams undergo a period of mentoring before pitching their ideas at a culminating event, where judges assess the proposed solutions and select the winners.
For students and young entrepreneurs passionate about creating real-world impact in sustainability, resource management, or agricultural technology, this Prize represents a unique chance: funding, guidance and exposure to accelerate their vision, build a team, and bring meaningful innovations to market.
For more information, visit MIT Water, Food and Agriculture Prize.
