Ryp Labs’ winning idea is called StixFresh, a natural and safe formulation that mimics the defence mechanisms of plants to slow down the natural process of fruit spoilage. It can be applied to a variety of surfaces, including food-safe labels and stickers, and has been shown to extend the shelf-life of fresh produce, thereby reducing food waste.

The global competition on 2nd December convened three regional winners selected from events in San Francisco, London, and Amsterdam, each recognised for their ideas for tackling food waste, including:

London regional winner Mimica – a solution called “Bump” which is available as a cap or tag that shows the true longevity of food and drinks by responding to temperature changes and becoming bumpy when the food or drinks actually spoil.

Amsterdam regional winner Barbara Šoštarić – a visual indicator that helps consumers determine which food to use first. It helps create awareness around the shelf life of products and thus reduce food waste.

“At Lineage, we take great pride in our investments in the future of the global food supply chain, and we are thrilled to support Ryp Labs in furthering our ultimate shared purpose of eliminating waste and helping feed the world,” said Greg Lehmkuhl, President and CEO of Lineage. “On behalf of the entire Lineage team, I want to extend a warm thank you and congratulations to our winner and all competitors, as well as our panel of esteemed judges, partners, employees and everyone who made this event possible. Together, we can make significant strides toward tackling one of the world’s most pressing issues today.”

"We are incredibly humbled and excited to be selected as the winners of Lineage’s global competition. This opportunity will be a significant step forward in our mission to eliminate food waste through our innovative biomimicry solutions,” said Moody Soliman, CEO & Co-Founder, Ryp Labs. “With Lineage’s extensive global network and commitment to sustainability, we believe we can scale our impact, not only reducing food waste but also creating lasting economic, environmental, and social change. The $50,000 prize and access to Lineage’s executive-led incubator programme will undoubtedly provide us with the critical resources and support needed to accelerate our solution and make a real difference in feeding the world.”

The 2024 Lineage Food Chain Innovation Challenge invited students and young entrepreneurs worldwide to showcase innovative solutions using technology and data to enhance the food supply chain's efficiency, sustainability, and resilience. The $50,000 grand prize was provided by Lineage Ventures, the team at Lineage dedicated to investing in early-stage technologies and companies that advance food supply chain innovation.