22 Teams Selected for Main Round of 2026 Agri-Food Startup Contest

The preliminary judging for the 2026 Agri-Food Startup Contest has concluded, selecting 22 teams that will compete in the main event. Held on June 23rd in Seoul, the preliminary round saw 521 startups and aspiring entrepreneurs present their innovative ideas.

These participants, who have been in business for seven years or less, or are pre-launch, applied with a wide range of technologies and concepts. The contest, organized by the Korea Technology Promotion Agency for Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs (KOPAFF) and hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA), seeks to drive innovation across the entire agri-food value chain.

Entries spanned diverse fields, including AI and digital technology integration in agriculture, food tech, smart farming, and green bio-industries. Expert judges evaluated teams based on their organizational capabilities, technological merit, business potential, market viability, and contribution to the agricultural sector's growth. The selection process focused on identifying ventures with strong potential to impact and revitalize the Korean agri-food landscape.

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Various preliminary teams from diverse fields such as food tech, AI, deep tech, smart farming, and green bio-sectors presented their pitches. AI and advanced technologies are...