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Ten innovation-driven enterprises will go head-to-head for the top prize of $100,000 in the 2026 Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge. The American Farm Bureau Federation, in partnership with Farm Credit, continues to encourage agricultural innovation through the challenge.
The challenge is an opportunity for entrepreneurs to present to a panel of judges their emerging ideas and businesses in the agricultural industry, with a chance to earn $100,000 in startup funds. Farm Bureau is offering a total of $145,000 in funding throughout the course of the competition.
“With the world around us changing at a rapid pace, there’s a near-constant need for folks to innovate in the agriculture space. Farmers and ranchers are no stranger to the need to roll up our sleeves and lean into this entrepreneurial spirit,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “Farm Bureau is proud to offer innovators an opportunity to present new businesses and technology that have the potential to bring forth a better tomorrow for agriculture.”
The 10 semi-finalist teams, who will participate in a virtual pitch first round, represent a variety of states and facets of agriculture.
The semi-finalist teams are:
- Agriwater, Illinois
- CryoBio Inc, New York
- FarmSmarter.ai, Louisiana
- Gather Agriculture Inc, California
- KinnanFAB, Nebraska
- KiposTech, Pennsylvania
- Renner Ag Solutions, Iowa
- Terraform Tillage, Iowa
- Verility Inc, Indiana
- Vivid Machines, Washington
The four teams advancing to the final round will each receive $10,000 and will be announced on Sept. 10. The four teams will compete on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, at the AFBF Convention in front of a live audience of Farm Bureau members, investors and industry representatives. Top titles and prizes will be awarded as follows:
- Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge Winner, total of $100,000
- Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge Runner-Up, total of $25,000
This will be the 12th year the competition has run. The Ag Innovation Challenge was the first national business competition of its kind to cater to rural entrepreneurs launching agricultural and food businesses.
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