All products / initiatives entered must have been implemented, launched, created or rebranded from January 2021 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 Innovation

We are looking to understand what crop you have added to your portfolio and how it has helped you to enter a specific market segment; why you focused on this crop innovation and rejected others; and what results you achieved, such as business success, customer satisfaction, operational efficiencies, or financial return. *

Best Crop Enhancement

We are seeking to understand how you have applied your competencies as a grower to enhance such aspects as shelf life, taste, flavour, colour, or nutrition; what results you achieved in the market and what customer needs you addressed. *

Best Yield Improvement

In this category, we are looking at how you improved the yield of a particular crop per m³ of growing space, how you balanced input sources such as nutrients, light, CO₂, temperature etc. and what profitability impact you realised. *

* Can you provide metrics or key performance indicators (KPIs) to illustrate the impact of such measures?

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 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?

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 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 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 Packaging Innovation

We are looking for packaging designs and innovations that measurably improve consumer convenience, usability, and reduction of waste material, offer added value for brand owners and create differentiation through excellence and original design/appearance.

Best Business Diversification/Development

Here, we are looking for a clear message why your business diversification/development is the most innovative and exciting within the industry. You may wish to consider what improvements you have achieved, impacts on your business and benefits for the consumer segment you target.

Best New Business

This category is open to new companies or subsidiaries that have been founded since January 2021. We are looking for a clear message about why your business stands out – what makes it so innovative, what customer needs are you fulfilling and what success have you had so far?

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.

The winners of the Vertical Farming World Awards 2022 were announced on 20 September at a Gala Dinner during the 3rd annual Vertical Farming World Congress in Brussels.

The Winners

Best Crop Innovation

• Intelligent Growth Solutions (IGS) – Beyond basil: growing tree seedlings in a vertical farm environment

Best Crop Enhancement

• GreeenTech – GreeenTech

Best Crop Enhancement

• Vertical Future Ltd – Vertical Farming

Best Yield Improvement

• LettUs Grow – LettUs Grow’s ultrasonic aeroponics

Best Lighting Development

• Signify - A lighting system as dynamic as a vertical farm

Best AI/Automation Development

• Sananbio – Grow rack, lights

Best Climate Control Innovation

• Les Jardins Suspendus - The Vertical Farm built on the top of an ice Factory in Djibouti, East Africa

Best Farm Design Innovation sponsored by Cultivatd

• Bowery Farming – Grow Position Mapping and Scalability

Best Energy Efficiency

• Les Jardins Suspendus - Les Jardins Suspendus: building a VF at the equator in a cold chamber that is powered by the sun

Best Sustainability Initiative

• Urban Crop Solutions - Closing the loop by transforming waste to food

Best Community Initiative sponsored by IGS Limited

• LettUs Grow – Grow It York

Best Brand Marketing

• AeroFarms – AeroFarms FlavorSpectrum™

Best Retail Innovation

• Bowery Farming – Bowery Strawberry Duopack

Best At Home Innovation

• Green World Revolution – Mirco Urban Farm ECO ABUNDANCE Growing Kit

Best New Business

• Les Jardins Suspendus – Les Jardins Suspendus, the first Commercial Vertical Farm in Djibouti, East Africa

The Finalists

Best Crop Innovation

• AeroFarms - AeroFarms X Hortifrut: Blueberries
• Bowery Farming - Bowery Strawberries
• Future Crops - Spring onions
• Intelligent Growth Solutions (IGS) - Beyond basil: growing tree seedlings in a vertical farm environment

Best Crop Enhancement

• GreeenTech – Urbanio indoor farm at EXPO2020
• Neuron Software Ltd. - nGen Greens - Functional Grow
• Vertical Future Ltd - Optimised Light Recipes for Red Pigment Plants

Best Yield Improvement

• Infarm - Cocktail Tomatoes Yield Improvement
• LettUs Grow - LettUs Grow’s ultrasonic aeroponics
• Urban Harvest - Strawberries forever

Best Lighting Development

• Sananbio - Grow rack, lights
• Signify - A lighting system as dynamic as a vertical farm

Best AI/Automation Development

• Bowery Farming - AI-Powered Intelligent Crop Retrieval
• Infarm - Infarm’s Revolutionary Biofeedback System
• Sananbio - Grow rack, lights
• TTA BV - FlexPlanter

Best Climate Control Innovation

• Intelligent Growth Solutions (IGS) - Automated precision-controlled environments using IGS' vertical farming systems
• Les Jardins Suspendus - The Vertical Farm built on the top of an ice Factory in Djibouti, East Africa
• Smallhold - Smallhold
• Urban Harvest - Data driven climate control
• YASAI AG – Circular Vertical Farming System

Best Farm Design Innovation sponsored by Cultivatd

• Bowery Farming - Grow Position Mapping and Scalability
• Ljusgarda - Industrial design
• Sananbio - Grow rack, lights

Best Energy Efficiency

• Intelligent Growth Solutions (IGS) - Driving energy efficiency through three-phase power and precision lighting
• Les Jardins Suspendus - Les Jardins Suspendus: building a VF at the equator in a cold chamber that is powered by the sun.
• Nippon Koi Farm Pte Ltd - Nippon SG Aquaponic
• Urban Crop Solutions - ModuleX

Best Sustainability Initiative

• Nippon Koi Farm Pte Ltd - Nippon SG Aquaponic
• Upward Farms - USDA-Certified Organic Indoor Aquaponic Vertical Farm
• Urban Crop Solutions - Closing the loop by transforming waste to food

Best Community Initiative sponsored by IGS Limited

• LettUs Grow - Grow It York
• Nippon Koi Farm Pte Ltd - Nippon SG Aquaponic

Best Brand Marketing

• AeroFarms - AeroFarms FlavorSpectrum™
• Bowery Farming - Feel Good Greens
• Smallhold - Smallhold

Best Retail Innovation

• AeroFarms - AeroFarms Baby Bok Choy
• AeroFarms - AeroFarms Micro Rainbow Mix
• Bowery Farming - Bowery Strawberry Duopack
• InvertiGro - Enabling reimagined food supply chains with In-store InvertiWalls

Best At Home Innovation

• Bioelements Agro - Bioelements Home Composting Additive
• Green World Revolution - Micro Urban Farm ECO ABUNDANCE Growing Kit
• ZipGrow Inc - The ZipGarden

Best New Business

• Certhon - Gronos
• Les Jardins Suspendus - Les Jardins Suspends, the first Commercial Vertical Farm in Djibouti, East Africa.
• Sananbio - Grow rack, lights