California startup Akorn Technology wins UAE FoodTech Challenge, with edible solution to fighting food waste

  • Akorn Technology named as a winner of the UAE FoodTech Challenge, a global competition to identify and scale the world’s most promising agri-tech solutions
  • Berkeley-based startup among four global winners honored at one of the world’s largest sustainability summits, selected from1,200+ entries spanning 113 countries
  • Winners share a $2 million prize and enter the UAE’s thriving innovation ecosystem, enabling them to develop and scale their ventures from the UAE to the world

ABU DHABI, UAE, Jan. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Akorn Technology, a Berkeley, California-based agri-tech startup focused on reducing the amount of fresh produce lost or wasted by developing an edible coating to extend shelf life, has been announced as one of four winners of the UAE FoodTech Challenge during a live finale at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week – one of the world’s largest sustainability gatherings. The company was selected from a pool of ten global finalists chosen from an initial 1,215 submissions across 113 countries.

Now in its third edition, the UAE FoodTech Challenge identifies and scales the world’s most promising agri-tech solutions that boost food production and reduce food loss and waste in arid and increasingly climate-stressed environments. 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. Akorn Technology is the first US company to be named a FoodTech Challenge winner.

Akorn Technology, founded in 2019 by a team with experience spanning the high technology, consumer goods, and agriculture sectors, will share a $2 million prize package and receive further in-kind support to develop and scale their pioneering solution through the UAE’s world-class innovation ecosystem, including technical and research support, pilot opportunities, market access, and incubation and acceleration services.

 

 

 

About Akorn Technology:

  • Challenge: An estimated 13% of food is lost between harvest and retail, with an additional 19% wasted at the consumption stage. Loss across the supply chain reduces availability and quality, cuts grower revenues, and increases environmental impact.
  • Mission: Reduce food loss by enabling producers and retailers to deliver harvest-fresh, tastier, and longer-lasting fruits and vegetables.
  • Innovative solution: A natural, edible coating for fruit and vegetables, including vegetable protein to slow ripening, wax to reduce moisture loss, and vegetable oil to maintain color, without altering the taste, quality, or nutritional value. 
  • Future plans: Optimize the solution for the UAE and other arid environments, and scale deployment from current operations in Egypt and Ghana to include new international markets across the Global South, building more resilient supply chains and advancing global food security.

Anthony Zografos, Founder and CEO of Akorn Technology, commented on the win: “It is an incredible honor to be a winner of the UAE FoodTech Challenge. We’ve always known that our breakthrough technology has the potential to solve one of the world’s biggest challenges – food loss – and we are very excited to receive this validation by the judging committee.”

“With the funding and ecosystem support offered by the FoodTech Challenge, we’re planning to set up a research program and production capability in the UAE, and we expect to be in pilot production of our cutting-edge products within the next 12-18 months. We already have handshake agreements with growers in South Africa and Southeast Asia to test our products and we will move these projects forwards immediately.”

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

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

About the UAE FoodTech Challenge

The UAE FoodTech Challenge is a global venture competition that identifies and scales 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 UAE Presidential Court and Tamkeen in partnership with ne’ma, the UAE’s Food Loss and Waste Initiative; Silal, the UAE’s leading agri-tech company; Gates Foundation, Clinton Global Initiative, and other key partners.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdYQ0X3okvU
Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2864224/Akorn_Technology_1.jpg
Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2864225/Akorn_Technology_2.jpg

 

Winners of UAE FoodTech Challenge

 

Akorn Technology - Winner of UAE FoodTech Challenge

 

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A Nemzetközi Kereskedelmi Kamara és a Carbon Measures bejelentik a szén-dioxid-kibocsátás elszámolásával foglalkozó szakértői panel első globális szakértői csoportját

PÁRIZS & NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–A Nemzetközi Kereskedelmi Kamara (ICC) és a Carbon Measures a ma i napon bejelentették a szén-dioxid-kibocsátás elszámolásával foglalkozó szakértői panel első kiválasztott szakértői csoportját, amely a szén-dioxid-kibocsátás elszámolási rendszerének alapelveit, hatókörét és valós alkalmazásait fogja meghatározni. A paneltagok az ipar, a tudomány, a civil társadalom és az akadémiai szféra elismert vezetőiből és szakértőiből állnak – akik különböző tudományterü

La Chambre de commerce internationale et Carbon Measures annoncent la composition du premier groupe d’experts mondiaux du comité sur la comptabilité carbone

PARIS & NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–La Chambre de commerce internationale (ICC) et Carbon Measures ont annoncé aujourd’hui la composition du premier groupe d’experts sélectionnés pour siéger au comité d’experts techniques sur la comptabilité carbone, qui définira les principes, la portée et les applications concrètes d’un système de comptabilité des émissions de carbone. Les membres du panel sont des dirigeants et des experts éminents issus de l’industrie, des sciences, de la société civile et d

「2026年度生物多様性MIDORI賞」候補者募集を開始:公益財団法人イオン環境財団・生物多様性条約事務局

東京&モントリオール–(BUSINESS WIRE)–(ビジネスワイヤ) — 2026年度生物多様性MIDORI賞の候補者募集は2026年2月2日から3月31日まで行われます。応募は、イオン環境財団ウェブサイト(https://www.aeonkankyozaidan.or.jp/en/prize/)より受け付けます。2026年度の授賞式および受賞者フォーラムは、8月27日に東京で開催されます。「自然のために行動する(Taking Action for Nature)」というテーマのもと、アルメニア・エレバンで開催される生物多様性条約(CBD)COP17に向けた世界的な生物多様性保全の動きを支えるものです。 イオン環境財団と生物多様性条約(CBD)事務局が共催する本賞は、生物多様性の保全および持続可能な利活用に加え、気候変動をはじめとする環境課題に取り組み、地球規模の生物多様性関連目標に顕著な貢献を果たした個人に授与されます。これまでに、20か国から21名が受賞しています。 本賞は、2010年の国際生物多様性年にイオン環境財団によって設立されました。昆明・モントリオール世界生物

Amrop Expands Executive Search and Leadership Advisory Presence in the Baltics with New Office in Lithuania

BRUSSELS, Jan. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Amrop, the global leadership advisory and executive search partnership, today announced a new operational set-up and management structure in Lithuania, strengthening its presence and service capabilities across the Baltic region, including Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.

The expanded set-up provides full Baltic regional coverage, supported by on-the-ground, in-country executive search and leadership advisory teams in all three markets. This structure ensures clients benefit from deep local market expertise, cultural understanding, and direct access to Amrop’s global leadership advisory network.

Commenting on the expansion, Annika Farin, Global Chair of Amrop, said: “The Baltic states represent an increasingly important region for international business, innovation, and leadership development. This is a trusted team of professionals, experienced in conducting complex regional-scale assignments across multiple markets, with more than 40% of Latvian, Estonian, and Ukrainian assignments delivered through this coordinated regional team.”

Amrop’s Baltics business will be managed by Viesturs Liegis and Aiga Ārste-Avotiņa as Managing Partners. Together with their team, they bring more than 30 years of combined executive search, leadership advisory, and board services experience across the region. At the same time, Amrop is strengthening its team in Lithuania, with an expanded local advisory team expected to be announced in Q2 2026. The Baltics team supports organizations ranging from local enterprises to multinationals, delivering executive search, leadership advisory, and board services across the Consumer & Retail, Industrial, Technology, and Defense sectors.

The new management team commented: “Our new pan-Baltic set-up brings together our experienced local teams, sector knowledge, and seamless access to Amrop’s global resources. This allows us to support organizations in making leadership and governance decisions that drive sustainable growth and transformation, wherever they operate.”

The inclusion of Lithuania completes Amrop’s Baltic footprint, enabling consistent regional delivery in line with Amrop’s global leadership and advisory standards. This development underscores Amrop’s long-term commitment to the Baltics and the broader CEE region, and its mission to help organizations build leadership capability in an increasingly complex global business environment.

About Amrop

Amrop is a global leadership consulting firm, offering retained Executive Search, Board and Leadership Advisory services. We advise the world’s most dynamic organizations on identifying and positioning Leaders For What’s Next – adept at working across borders, in markets around the world. Established in 1977, Amrop operates across more than 60 offices in APAC, EMEA and the Americas.

The Amrop Partnership SC

Rue Abbé Cuypers 3

1040 Brussels, Belgium

T. +32 471 733 825
E. contact@amrop.com

Costa Tzavaras
Director Global Programs

 

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Water.org Partners with Gap Inc., Amazon, Starbucks, and Ecolab to Launch Get Blue™, Advancing Water.org’s Goal of Reaching 200 Million People by 2030

Founding partners will activate products, content, and experiences that help fund access to safe water and sanitation through Water.org’s proven solutions

DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Water.org, Gap Inc., Amazon, Starbucks, and Ecolab today announced the launch of Get Blue™. The global initiative is designed to accelerate access to safe water and sanitation by aligning business leadership, consumer engagement, and capital behind Water.org‘s proven, market-driven solutions, reaching families and communities in need around the world.

Today, 2.1 billion people—nearly one in four worldwide—still lack access to safe water, while 3.4 billion people lack access to safe sanitation. When families have access to safe water and sanitation at home, the benefits are immediate and lasting–supporting improved health, time gained for education and income, and opportunity.

Get Blue is designed to be a long-term platform that enables companies across consumer and business-to-business sectors to treat water as a core operating and market issue. By recognizing water as a growing business imperative, the campaign gives enterprises a way to turn leadership, collaboration, and customer participation into sustained investment in solutions that Bring Water Home™.

“At Gap Inc., we bridge gaps to create a better world — and the gap between people who lack access to water, let alone clean water, is far too big. We believe everyone should have access to clean water,” said Richard Dickson, president and CEO of Gap Inc. “Through the launch of Get Blue, we’re uniting some of the world’s most influential brands behind a shared mission. As an industry, we have both an opportunity and a responsibility to lead—using our scale, creativity, and influence to turn awareness into action. By coming together, we can help make safe water accessible to every person on the planet and demonstrate what’s possible when our industry steps up as a force for good.”

Water is foundational to business performance, underpinning the systems and supply chains companies rely on and the communities they serve. As the water crisis intensifies, more companies are advancing water stewardship, reducing operational water use, managing supply-chain risk, investing in access and conservation projects, and supporting community education.

“Solving the global water crisis is possible if the business community comes together and focuses on measurable change. Water sits at the center of opportunity in the global economy. Get Blue gives companies a way to lead on an issue their industries depend on, and to help scale solutions that are already reaching millions of people who need them. This is the kind of leadership required to end the water crisis within our lifetimes,” said Gary White, CEO and co-founder of Water.org.

Water.org was founded by Gary White and Matt Damon with a shared belief that access to safe water and sanitation is foundational to health and opportunity. Through the organization’s WaterCredit solution, families use small, affordable loans to access safe water and sanitation at home. To date, Water.org has reached 85 million people with lasting access to safe water or sanitation, working toward an ambitious goal of reaching 200 million people by 2030. The Get Blue campaign will help Water.org extend its reach as part of a broader portfolio of strategies.

Get Blue will mobilize scalable, partner-enabled capital through corporate brands, enterprise partnerships, and integrated business and consumer activations. A portion of proceeds will drive funding support to Water.org‘s market-driven solutions, helping families finance, maintain, and sustain their own long-term water and sanitation solutions.

The launch to consumers and commercial customers is planned for later in 2026, with Gap Inc., Amazon, Starbucks, and Ecolab already developing activations across fashion, food and beverage, and technology—demonstrating the initiative’s scale, cross-sector collaboration and cultural reach.

“I’ve been fortunate to work with Gary and Matt for years and have seen firsthand the transformative impact of their work,” said Kara Hurst, chief sustainability officer at Amazon. “Access to safe water is foundational to healthy communities and building a more sustainable business. Through Get Blue, we’re using Amazon’s scale and innovation to show what’s possible when companies work together toward a common good.”

“The water crisis requires sustained, meaningful action, and Get Blue is an example of what the private sector can do to help raise awareness and work together to drive solutions and impact. This approach builds on Amazon’s aim to be a responsible water steward in communities—and water stressed regions— where it operates, as it works to reduce water use across its operations through investment, innovation and implementation. Globally, Amazon has announced more than 40 water replenishment projects that are expected to return upwards of 18 billion liters of water annually, once complete. As part of that work, Amazon set a goal to return more water to communities than it uses across its data centers by 2030, and is already more than halfway to meeting that goal—and the company set a goal to return more water than it uses across its entire operations in India by 2027,” Hurst added.

Each of the founding partner companies has prioritized water as an issue that is important to their business, their stakeholders, and their communities. Each also brings a distinct value proposition and perspective to helping everyone, everywhere gain access to safe water.

“Clean water is essential to healthy families and communities,” said Marika McCauley Sine, chief sustainability officer, The Starbucks Coffee Company. “In some coffee, tea, and cocoa farming regions, people lack access to clean water and sanitation. For Starbucks, helping these communities thrive is both the right thing to do and strengthens our business and supply chain. By partnering with Water.org and investing $50 million in WaterEquity, we’re helping bring clean water and sanitation to those who need it most. So far, we’ve proudly helped more than 700,000 people. And by teaming up with Get Blue, with other companies we can make a meaningful difference for more people and the planet, together.”

“Ecolab is built on the belief that when we help our customers use water smarter, we unlock both business growth, value and social impact,” said Christophe Beck, chairman and CEO, Ecolab. “Through Get Blue, we’re joining forces with global leaders to expand access to safe water and strengthen the communities where we all operate.”

“Get Blue is already starting to bring together a community that recognizes everyone’s individual roles in helping end the global water crisis. When brands especially use their influence this way, progress proliferates — and that’s exactly what this movement is designed to do,” said Matt Damon, co-founder of Water.org.

Water.org is inviting companies across industries to join Get Blue and help tackle the water crisis. To learn more about partnership opportunities, contact Ben Albert at balbert@water.org.

About Get Blue
Get Blue™ is a global movement mobilizing brands, creators, consumers, and capital to Bring Water Home™ and help solve the global water crisis. Co-created with founding partners including Gap Inc., Amazon, Starbucks, and Ecolab in partnership with Water.org, Get Blue brings the power of the collective organization’s commerce to one of the world’s most pressing challenges. Proceeds of specially branded Get Blue products will directly power Water.org’s proven solutions to connect families to safe water and sanitation. Get Blue was created in collaboration with global brand consultancy Wolff Olins. Learn more at GetBlue.water.org.

About Water.org
Water.org is a global nonprofit organization that has transformed more than 85 million lives through access to safe water and sanitation. Founded by Gary White and Matt Damon, Water.org’s solutions — WaterCredit, WaterEquity, and WaterConnect — offer distinct and complementary approaches that break down barriers between people and access to safe water. Collaboration is central to the strength of Water.org’s approach. In 2026, a roster of world-renowned brands and Water.org partnered to launch Get Blue, a global movement harnessing culture and commerce to take action to solve the water crisis. Learn more at Water.org and GetBlue.water.org.

About Amazon
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Amazon strives to be Earth’s Most Customer-Centric Company, Earth’s Best Employer, and Earth’s Safest Place to Work. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Career Choice, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, Alexa, Just Walk Out technology, Amazon Studios, and The Climate Pledge are some of the things pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.

About Gap Inc.
Gap Inc., a purpose-driven house of iconic brands, is the largest specialty apparel company in America. Its Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, and Athleta brands offer clothing, accessories, and lifestyle products for men, women and children available worldwide through company-operated and franchise stores, and e-commerce sites. Since 1969, Gap Inc. has created products and experiences that shape culture, while doing right by employees, communities and the planet through its commitment to bridge gaps to create a better world. For more information, please visit www.gapinc.com.

About Starbucks
Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has been committed to responsibly sourcing and roasting high-quality arabica coffee. Today, with more than 40,000 stores worldwide, the company is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. Through our unwavering commitment to excellence and our guiding principles, we bring the unique Starbucks Experience to life for every customer through every cup. To share in the experience, please visit us in our stores or online at about.starbucks.com or starbucks.com.

About Ecolab
A trusted partner for millions of customers, Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) is a global sustainability leader offering water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions and services that protect people and the resources vital to life. Building on more than a century of innovation, Ecolab has annual sales of $16 billion, employs approximately 48,000 associates and operates in more than 170 countries around the world. The company delivers comprehensive science-based solutions, data-driven insights and world-class service to advance food safety, maintain clean and safe environments, and optimize water and energy use. Ecolab’s innovative solutions improve operational efficiencies and sustainability for customers in the food, healthcare, high tech, life sciences, hospitality and industrial markets. www.ecolab.com

Media Contact
Cate McGeady
Senior PR Manager
978-495-2029
cmcgeady@water.org

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International Chamber of Commerce, Carbon Measures Announce First Group of Global Experts for Carbon Accounting Panel

PARIS & NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The ICC and Carbon Measures today announced the first cohort of experts selected to serve on the Technical Expert Panel on Carbon Accounting.

International Chamber of Commerce, Carbon Measures Announce First Group of Global Experts for Carbon Accounting Panel

PARIS & NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The ICC and Carbon Measures today announced the first cohort of experts selected to serve on the Technical Expert Panel on Carbon Accounting.

International Chamber of Commerce, Carbon Measures Announce First Group of Global Experts for Carbon Accounting Panel

PARIS & NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The ICC and Carbon Measures today announced the first cohort of experts selected to serve on the Technical Expert Panel on Carbon Accounting.

WuXi AppTec Receives Double “A” Rating from CDP for Climate Change and Water Security Leadership

SHANGHAI, Jan. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — WuXi AppTec, a leading global pharmaceutical CRDMO (Contract Research, Development, and Manufacturing Organization), today announced that it has been recognized on the “A List” for leadership in corporate transparency and performance across both Climate Change and Water Security by CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project). This recognition, which represents CDP’s highest rating in each category, underscores WuXi AppTec’s achievements in climate change and water resource management and its ongoing commitment to sustainable development.

CDP is a global non-profit that runs the world’s only independent environmental disclosure system for companies, capital markets, cities, states and regions to manage their environmental impacts. Its annual assessment process, aligned with major environmental frameworks and disclosure standards, is renowned as a global benchmark for evaluating companies’ environment-related activities. In the latest assessment, WuXi AppTec was named to CDP’s “A List” for Climate Change for the first time and included on CDP’s “A List” for Water Security for the second consecutive year.

“Earning CDP’s ‘A’ rating for both Climate Change and Water Security reflects WuXi AppTec’s unwavering commitment to sustainable pharmaceutical innovation,” said Dr. Steve Yang, Co-CEO of WuXi AppTec and Chairman of WuXi AppTec’s Sustainability Committee. “As a trusted partner to the global pharmaceutical and life sciences industry, we are dedicated to advancing life-saving therapies while integrating environmental stewardship throughout our operations.”

Climate change and water resource management strategies are core components of WuXi AppTec’s commitment to environmental protection. The Company actively addresses environmental risks and opportunities, continuously strengthens its environmental management systems, and effectively safeguards its operational sites and the surrounding natural environment. WuXi AppTec has set targets across multiple key environmental management areas and monitors progress to enable quantitative analysis and regular, precise reviews.

As an enabler of innovation, a trusted partner, and a contributor to the global pharmaceutical and life sciences industry, WuXi AppTec integrates sustainability throughout its operations in alignment with the values of its customers and partners. The Company’s leadership in sustainability has been recognized by several prestigious organizations, notably receiving the MSCI ESG Leadership Rating for five consecutive years and achieving its first AAA rating in the most recent assessment. It has also been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) for four consecutive years and the FTSE4Good Index Series for three consecutive years. Additionally, the Company has received a Gold Medal in sustainability from EcoVadis for the second consecutive year.

Furthering its sustainability commitments, WuXi AppTec has received validation from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) for its near-term emissions reduction targets. The Company is also a participant in the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), supporting its ten principles, and serves as a supplier partner to the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Initiative (PSCI).

About WuXi AppTec

WuXi AppTec is a trusted partner and contributor to the pharmaceutical and life sciences industries, providing R&D and manufacturing services that help advance healthcare innovation. With operations across Asia, Europe, and North America, we offer integrated, end-to-end services through our unique CRDMO (Contract Research, Development, and Manufacturing Organization) platform. We are privileged to work alongside nearly 6,000 partners across 30+ countries, supporting their efforts to bring breakthrough treatments to patients. Guided by our vision that every drug can be made and every disease can be treated, we are committed to advancing breakthroughs for patients—one collaboration at a time. Learn more at www.wuxiapptec.com.

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