Permia Sensing uses AI, bioacoustic sensors and drone imaging to monitor tree health. Already covering over 15,000 hectares of palm plantations in Sri Lanka, the technology offers early detection of stress factors, such as dehydration and pest infestations, enabling farmers to boost yields and reduce waste. They now plan to work with local partners to finesse and localize their solution for the UAE and scale its application across the Middle East.

HyveGeo turns agricultural waste into a carbon-rich biochar, then enriches it with microbes to create a high-performance soil enhancer. This circular, nature-based approach is already being used by farmers and landscape managers across the UAE, transforming arid, desert soil into fertile, arable land. As winners, they plan to expand their research and launch pilots in markets across the Global South.

Akorn Technology produces a natural, edible coating for fruit and vegetables, including a vegetable protein to slow ripening, a wax to reduce moisture loss, and a vegetable oil to maintain color. Their solution is already being used in Egypt and Ghana to extend the shelf life of produce and cut post-harvest losses, and will now be optimized for use in the UAE and arid environments across the region.

Flybox uses black soldier fly larvae to convert agricultural byproducts into high-quality protein and fertilizer. Housed in shipping containers, their off-grid, low-cost solution is currently being used in Uganda, Kenya and Nigeria, and will now launch in the UAE, with plans for working with local waste management partners to deploy at scale.