Supporting startups building solutions that prevent food loss, reduce waste, and improve resource efficiency in Latin America.
In partnership with Posner Foundation of Pittsburgh, the program's fourth edition will support eight startups who are reducing food loss and waste in Latin America. With particular emphasis on innovations that leverage data and AI to enable better decision-making, anticipate risks, and optimize operations in complex and fragmented food systems.
Globally, nearly one-third of all food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted each year, representing an estimated cost of almost USD 1 trillion annually. This reduces farmer incomes, raises food prices, and heightens food insecurity, particularly for low-income and vulnerable populations.
Food loss and waste occur across the entire value chain – from harvest and post-harvest handling to processing, distribution, retail, and final consumption. Beyond the economic costs, wasted food also represents wasted land, water, energy, labor, and capital, while significantly contributing to greenhouse gas emissions.
Latin America is responsible for approximately 20% of global food losses, with an estimated 223 kilograms of food wasted per person each year.
Addressing food loss and waste in the region requires integrated, system-level solutions that address structural inefficiencies while strengthening food security, climate resilience, and economic inclusion.
We are seeking startups with a focus on:
Embedded Consumer Waste Reduction: Solutions that integrate waste-reducing behaviors into consumer purchasing, cooking, and storage through smart technologies, shelf-life optimization, nudges, and decision-support tools.
Process Optimization at Food Centers: Solutions that enable proactive waste prevention through inventory traceability, waste tracking, demand planning, and operational optimization.
Climate-Resilient Production and Distribution: Solutions that reduce loss risks during production, post-harvest handling, storage, and transport through low-cost cold chain alternatives, spoilage detection, climate-adaptive packaging, biotechnology, and resilient logistics.
Food Loss and Waste Data Infrastructure: Solutions that enable measurement, monitoring, and reporting of food loss and waste across supply chains, supporting ESG reporting, operational decision-making, and alignment with SDG 12.3.
Redistribution and Circular Utilization: Solutions that enable the safe redistribution, resale, or repurposing of surplus food, prioritizing human consumption before secondary uses.
Eligibility requirements include:
Have legal incorporation and operations as a for-profit entity in at least one Spanish-speaking Latin American country.
Have a market-based solution that tackles food loss and/or food waste challenges in Latin America.
Have at least one full-time founder based in Latin America.
Be in compliance with local fiscal and business law.
Have a minimum viable product (MVP) and raised less than USD 1M in equity.
Have meaningful customer or business validation (not limited to revenue; it can also be successful pilot studies, number of users, and/or strategic partnerships).
Access to an investment analyst who will provide 1:1 coaching on building a financial model, identifying unit economics, and using financial metrics to drive both the business and investor diligence. Participate in mock board meetings with representatives from financial institutions, corporations, experienced entrepreneurs, and investors who can help their startup scale.
Access to a diverse and inclusive network of mentors and founders within the agriculture and food sectors.Access to a diverse and inclusive network of mentors and founders within the agriculture and food sectors.
Access to live and asynchronous sessions tailored to a virtual learning environment to help their companies identify early milestones and prepare for their next round of capital (if relevant) or big expansion.
Access to the in-person program summit in Mexico City focused on networking with relevant stakeholders in the impact ecosystem, including potential clients and investors.
Exposure on Village Capital’s program website and other communications collateral.
Meet with and receive mentorship from prominent potential strategic partners, investors, potential customers, and other founders from Latin America and the US.
Virtual Workshop 1: June, 2026
Virtual Workshop 2: July, 2026
Virtual Workshop 3: August, 2026
Virtual Workshop 4: September, 2026
In-Person Program Summit Mexico City: November, 2026
