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- Vertical Farming World Awards 2024
Vertical Farming World Awards 2024
The 4th annual Vertical Farming World Awards are designed to celebrate excellence and innovation across the global industry. There are 13 awards to win, spanning crops, technology, sustainability, and commercial initiatives. The awards will open for entries in April and run until August 2024. Winners will be announced 25 September at the Vertical Farming World Congress 2024 in Frankfurt, Germany.
Details
Our guide below should provide you with all the information you need about the Vertical Farming World Awards 2024. You can also download the Vertical Farming World Awards guidelines here.
The awards will open for entries on 17 April. Please note, all entries must be received by Friday 30 August 2024.
If you have any queries, please contact us on t +44(0)1225 327900 e awards@zenithglobal.com
What are the categories?
- Best Crop Development
- Best Resource Efficiency
- Best Sustainability Initiative
- Best Community Impact Initiative
- Best Research and Development Contribution
- Best Collaborations/Partnerships Initiative
- Best Start-up Innovation Achievement
- Best New Vertical Farming Facility
- Best Farm Design Innovation
- Best Product Marketing
- Best Product Packaging
- Best Technology Advancement
- Best AI/Automation Development
Initiatives can be entered into multiple categories.
Why should I enter?
- Gain publicity from leading industry media.
- Benefit from independent international recognition.
- Add credibility with buyers and investors.
- Attract consumers and build brand awareness, both locally and internationally.
- Share the news of your success with a dedicated announcement across our social media platforms.
- Receive a comprehensive communications kit complete with a press release, a digital logo package, certificate, and a trophy for winners!
- Presentation of your shortlisted product in a special awards ceremony at the Vertical Farming World Congress attended by industry leaders, producers, suppliers and retailers
How much does it cost to enter?
Entry into this year's awards is free of charge. You are invited to register up to four entries in total across the 13 award categories.
Finalists of the awards will receive a complimentary Digital Media Pack, with the option to pay to upgrade and join us for the awards evening at the Vertical Farming World Congress 2024.
How do I enter?
There are two stages to the entry process.
1. Simply click 'Enter Now', and select the categories and products you wish to enter and then fill out your personal details.
2. Once we have received your application and payment, a member of the awards team will be in touch to support you on your submission for the awards.
What is required?
- A 200-word description of why your initiative deserves to win
- Up to four high-resolution images
- Company logo
*For the category 'Best Product Marketing' you are invited to send an additional 1-page document to include any video content or imagery relating to the entry.
When will the finalists be announced?
Once all judges have submitted their feedback and scores, all points will be counted and verified.
A press release will be shared announcing the finalists. All entrants and finalists will be notified in mid September.
When will the winners be announced?
The winners will be announced in a dedicated awards ceremony on 25 September at Zenith Global's Vertical Farming World Congress 2024 hosted in Frankfurt, Germany and online through YouTube Premiere.
Contact
If you have a query about the awards, please get in touch!
t +44 (0)1225 327900 e awards@zenithglobal.com
For details of sponsorship opportunities please click here.
Entry criteria
All products / initiatives entered must have been implemented, launched, created or rebranded from January 2022 onwards.
Developments/initiatives that are not yet in the market can still be entered as long as they are in their prototype/design stage by the closing date of this awards program.
To download the full awards guideline document, click here.
For any questions or queries around the awards, please contact awards@zenithglobal.com.
For each category entry, you are required to submit the following only:
- A 200-word description of why your product deserves to win
- Up to four high-resolution images
- Company logo
*For the category 'Best Product Marketing' you are invited to send an additional 1-page document to include any video content or imagery relating to the entry.
Below are some ideas and recommendations for what you may wish to include in your 200-word description. For all categories, you may wish to consider including the following:
Why your development is the most innovative/exciting in this category and what makes it stand out
What is the vision and mission of your development
How is your product differentiated from others/market gap analysis
Where your development has reached geographically, financially and the contribution it has made
Best Crop Development
In this category, we are seeking to understand developments in new and existing crops, considering product quality, commercial success, customer satisfaction, and the application of skill to improve nutritional value, flavour, taste and colour. You may wish to consider financial returns, business success and operational efficiencies.
Best Resource Efficiency*
This category seeks to recognise vertical farms that demonstrate exceptional resource management, achieving high yields with minimal inputs such as water, energy and nutrients. You may wish to include a clear description of the concept, benefits and growing data analysis.
* Can you provide metrics or key performance indicators (KPIs) to illustrate the impact of such measures?
Best Sustainability Initiative
We are looking for sustainability initiatives that have been realised across social contribution, environmental balance and economic growth. Please indicate what results you achieved against any of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Best Community Engagement Initiative
In this category, we are seeking to recognise vertical farms that are actively contributing to their local community through educational initiatives, community outreach programs, job creation and promoting food security and accessibility.
Best Research and Development Contribution
In this category, we are looking to recognise contributions to research and development in vertical farming, including breakthroughs in crop science, cultivation techniques, vertical farming system design and innovative uses of space and resources.
Best Collaborations/Partnerships Initiative
Here, we are looking for successful collaborations between vertical farming companies, research institutions and other industry stakeholders that have resulted in meaningful advancements for the industry.
Best Start-up Innovation Achievement
This category aims to celebrate start-ups and emerging companies that demonstrate creativity, resilience, and potential for growth in the vertical farming industry, showcasing innovative business models, products, or services.
Best New Vertical Farming Facility
In this category, we are looking for a clear message about what differentiates your new vertical farming facility, given the location/environment you operate in, the benefits for your production and the operational advantages. You may wish to include a clear description of the concept and benefits and growing data analysis.
Best Farm Design Innovation
In this category, we are looking for a clear message about why your farm design is the most innovative/exciting, given the location/environment you operate in and the customer segment that you target. You may wish to include a clear description of the concept and benefits, growing data analysis and how you have measured the impact of the innovation.
Best Product Marketing*
In this category, the judges will evaluate how you have positioned your product within its market segment, considering the packaging and overall brand design. How do you differentiate yourself from the competition? What kind of branding campaigns have you run and why? How successful have they been?
*In this category, you are welcome to send a one-page document of additional video content and imagery to help illustrate your marketing message
Best Product Packaging
Here, we are looking for exceptional creativity and effectiveness in packaging design, that measurably improves consumer convenience, usability, reduction of waste material and showcases innovative brand design. You may wish to include how the packaging has been utilised, it’s brand appeal relevant to the target audience and how it stands out from competitors in the same category. The packaging design needs to effectively communicate the product and benefits of what is inside.
Best Technology Development
Here, we are looking at how you have implemented and advanced technologies to improve your production. Please specify what and why produce attributes changed, and how you have measured the impact of the development. You may wish to include a clear description of the concept and benefits, growing data analysis and how you have measured the impact of the development.
Best AI/Automation Development
In this category, the judges will evaluate how you have advanced your AI/automation concepts. What improvement did you achieve with which data, what bearing did automation have on labour and your overall cost structure, and was there an impact on your produce, such as longer shelf life?
Sponsorship
Our event and awards sponsorship packages offer a unique and effective opportunity to showcase your brand and services to a highly relevant audience.
Two tiers of awards sponsorship are available: Headline sponsor and Category sponsor. We can also create a custom sponsorship package to suit your specific needs and budgetary requirements.
Sponsorship opportunities include:
- Exclusive headline sponsorship of the awards
- Sponsored social media posts
- Sponsorship of an awards category of your choosing
- Complimentary entry into the awards
- Opportunity to present an award at the awards ceremony
- Logo featured in the awards presentation
- Logo on events webpage hyperlinked to your website
- Regular mentions in Zenith Global's event marketing and press releases
- Discounts on Zenith Global market reports and discounted access to our Globaldrinks.com database.
For information and pricing, please contact Francesca Hall, Events Director
e fhall@zenithglobal.com t +44 (0)1225 327900
The Judges
Josephine Favre
President, The African Association for Vertical Farming (AAVF)
Josephine created the African Association for Vertical Farming (AAVF) in October 2018 where she sits as the President.
- To foster positional learning environments for students with diverse learning difficulties
- Maximize individual student performance
- Develop student interest in language and communication
Since a very young age, Josephine has been volunteering in humanitarian projects that led her to visit various communities in Africa where she actively engages herself in diverse initiatives including putting together agriculture infrastructure, programs, trainings & capacity building, enabling communities to sustainably secure food for their families while creating an enterprise mindset.
Focusing on advancing the growth of urban and smart agriculture in Africa while spreading awareness of sustainable approaches to developing modern agricultural practices, the African Association for Vertical Farming (AAVF) is an internationally active non-profit organization that connects with interested parties all over the world to build strong communities in order to support Africa in its quest for secure and sovereign food production.
Jesper Hansen
Chief Commercial Officer
Jesper is Chief Commercial Officer of YesHealth Group, a Taiwan based vertical farming technology pioneer with a mission to transform agriculture and advance people’s health through the use of innovative vertical farming technology
Sepehr Achard
Chief Executive Officer of iGrow News
Sepehr Achard is the CEO of iGrow News, a prominent digital news platform in the AgriFood Tech industry part of the AgTech Media Group.
Henry Gordon-Smith
Founder & Chief Executive Officer at Agritecture Consulting
Henry Gordon-Smith is a sustainability strategist focused on urban agriculture, water issues, and emerging technologies.
Eri Hayashi
President - International Relations and Consulting for Japan Plant Factory Association, Japan
Eri serves as president of the Japan Plant Factory Association (JPFA), a nonprofit organization devoted to academic and business advancements in plant factory/controlled environment agriculture (CEA) (https://npoplantfactory.org/en/).
She is an Associate Member of the Science Council of Japan.
Dr. Rixta Sievers
Research Manager at GrowUp Farms
Dr. Rixta Sievers holds a BSc (Hons) in Plant Molecular Biology and a PhD in Agriculture and Horticulture, specialising in the impact of UV-B on photosynthesis.
2023 Winners
The winners of the Vertical Farming World Awards 2023 were announced on 10 October at a Gala Dinner during the 4th annual Vertical Farming World Congress in London.
The Winners
Best Crop Innovation
- UrbanKisaan – Bred Okra seeds to be grown in vertical hydroponics, other plants include tomato, chilli and brinjal
Best Crop Enhancement
- Spread – Techno Fresh
Best Yield Improvement
- Vertical Future – 24% increase in energy conversion efficiency for whole head lettuce production
Best Technology Development
- TTA – bHarvest: high tech harvester for indoor-grown crops
Best AI/Automation Development
- KETOS – KETOS SHIELD
Best Farm Design Innovation
- Vertical Future – INFT
Best New Vertical Farming Facility
- Nippon Koi Farm Pte Ltd – Singapore SG Aquaponic
Best Product Marketing
- Ljusgårda/Supernormal Greens – A completely normal salad grown in a Supernormal way.
Best Business Diversification/Development
- Bowery – Bowery Salad Kits
Best Sustainability Initiative
- ELLEPOT A/S – 18.4 Tons Plastic Reduction with Ellepot System for Hydroponic Farm
2023 Finalists
The Finalists
Best Crop Innovation
- Planet Farms – Pestooh
- Soli Organic – Soli Organic Spinach
- UrbanKisaan – Bred Okra seeds to be grown in vertical hydroponics, other plants include tomato, chilli and brinjal
- Vertical Future – High Protein Amaranth Leaf
Best Crop Enhancement
- Philips Horticulture LED Solutions – Boosting young plants for a better start
- Spread – Techno Fresh
- Vertical Future – Ameliorating Tip Burn
Best Yield Improvement
- Artechno Growsystems – AVF+ Automated Vertical Farming – Artechno Growsystems
- Freight Farms - The Greenery™ S
- Ljusgårda/Supernormal Greens – Game-changing yields: Doubling harvests while reducing the carbon footprint
- Vertical Future – 24% increase in energy conversion efficiency for whole head lettuce production
Best Technology Development
- ELLEPOT A/S – Ellepot Sleeve System
- Nippon Koi Farm Pte Ltd– Singapore SG Aquaponic
- TTA – bHarvest: high tech harvester for indoor-grown crops
- Vertical Future – ChronoTherm Technology for Real Time Plant Monitoring
Best AI/Automation Development
- KETOS – KETOS SHIELD
- SMARTKAS - SMARTKAS
Best Farm Design Innovation
- Agritecture Designer - The world's only CEA design software
- Artechno Growsystems – AVF+ Automated Vertical Farming – Artechno Growsystems
- Nippon Koi Farm Pte Ltd – Singapore SG Aquaponic
- Vertical Future - INFT
Best New Vertical Farming Facility
- 80 Acres Farms – 80 Acres Farms’ 200,000 square foot next generation facility in Florence, Kentucky - increasing total production by more than 300% and bringing the company's produce to consumers across the American Southeast
- Bowery – Bowery Bethlehem
- Nippon Koi Farm Pte Ltd – Singapore SG Aquaponic
- Soli Organic – Soli Organic’s Anderson Facility, one of the largest indoor organic farms in the world, producing millions of fresh, 100% USDA certified organic produce annually.
Best Product Marketing
- AeroFarms – Everything Tastes Better with AeroFarms Microgreens
- Bowery – The New Bowery
- Innovation Agritech Group - The GrowFrame360™ by Innovation Agritech Group
- Ljusgårda/Supernormal Greens – A completely normal salad grown in a Supernormal way.
Best Business Diversification/Development
- Bowery – Bowery Salad Kits
- CEA Advisors – Hydrofarm Strategic Alliance
Best Sustainability Initiative
- ELLEPOT A/S – 18.4 Tons Plastic Reduction with Ellepot System for Hydroponic Farm
- Ljusgårda/Supernormal Greens – Proven - 50% CO2e reduction in an independent LCA
- Spread – Techno Fresh
- Vertical Future – Energy Efficient Light Diets