International Food and Agribusiness Management Association (IFAMA)

INTERNATIONAL FOOD AND AGRIBUSINESS MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION

A FAST PACED – ONLINE ONLY CASE COMPETITION

IFAMA is pleased to announce a call for teams for the IFAMA 2025 Venture Building Challenge, an online competition, on 13–14 November, 2025. (Register by 06–November.)

$3500 USD will be awarded to winning teams and other non-cash prizes will be announced.

WHAT?
IFAMA 2025 Venture Building Challenge - Sponsored by Agraya

This is an educational, fun, professional development competition designed to:

Give your students or young professionals an introduction to, or a refresher course on how case studies are used as a teaching tool to inspire creative solutions for real-world problems
Facilitate knowledge transfer
Spark problem-solving and ingenuity
Promote teamwork and entrepreneurial thinking

WHO?
Students, graduates, recent graduates and early career professionals already working in industry or academia. Those who are actively pursuing a work in the food and agriculture sciences, and agricultural engineering and nutritional sciences and agribusiness. This includes extra skill-building clubs including, ag clubs, or young professionals already working in academia or the food and agri-sector, under age 35.

WHERE?
100% Online. Each team attends an online orientation (briefing), then receives an entrepreneurship toolkit that provides the framework keys needed to craft their strategy.

WHEN?
The competition will take place 13–15 November, 2025; with awards given on 17-November.

HOW?
Teams will receive a research case (approximately 10 pages) detailing an emerging science or technology innovation related to a real-world challenge. Teams have 4 hours to analyze the research case, create a video presentation showcasing their strategic solution and recommendations, and a one-page brief. A panel of judges consisting of members from academia, international experts, and the IFAMA Board will review the presentations and select the advancing finalists. The announcement of finalists will be made at least six hours prior to the start of the Championship Round.

WHY?
The food and agricultural sector needs young candidates entering our industry who are able to think critically and learn to lead. The competition is designed to produce outcomes and provide opportunities for professional development.

Managers and Executives leading teams of young talent are invited to register a team, providing both a unique professional development opportunity and a chance to represent your company on a global stage.
Competitors have an opportunity to participate in an international competition and learn more about issues facing the global food system while building valuable skills and networks.

TEAM STRUCTURE

There will only be one division for competing teams in the Venture Building Challenge, and teams are encouraged to embrace diversity of thought within their group composition.

Teams should have 2–4 members, and may include undergraduate students, postgraduates, and/or early career professionals up to 35 years old.

Universities or organizations may send multiple teams.

Don’t have a team? No problem. Individuals may apply on their own, and IFAMA will help form teams by pairing students and young professionals from different universities or organizations and countries. An active IFAMA membership is required to participate.

COMPETITION STRUCTURE

Each team must nominate a Team Captain. The Team Captain will become the key point of contact between IFAMA and the team prior to the competition. Teams can also have a senior advisor (such as a lecturer or manager). Advisors may play a major role in helping students or young professionals prepare for the competition. However, teams must work independently from their advisor during the competition.

OUR SPONSOR

AGRAYA. As the corporate home of the well-established GLOBALG.A.P. and GGN label brands, AGRAYA GmbH builds on over two decades of technical and operational expertise. Nevertheless, this is not just a continuation, but a deliberate shift toward a future-ready organization equipped to tackle emerging challenges and opportunities in the agricultural sector.

Agraya empowers agricultural supply chains with trusted intelligence that enhances operational efficiency.

The following institutions and organizations competed in IFAMA's 2024 Venture Building Challenge.

Twenty-one international teams from every continent mobilized to compete in this exciting, online event that combines research and entrepreneurship.

TEAM BENEFITS

Gain the attention of future employers
Gain practical experience working on real-world challenges
Put your creativity, innovation and problem-solving skills to the test
Showcase your talent on a global stage
Practice working effectively as a team under pressure
Earn the title, World Champion!

Young Board member Comfort Onyaga
invites you to compete in the VBC.

BRIEFING SESSION

View the recorded Briefing Session from 30-October 2025 hosted by the IFAMA Young Board.

Learn the rules, schedule, and structure of the 2025 Venture Building Challenge
Get insider tips on how to build a winning team and stand out
Hear from Young Board members about how IFAMA has accelerated their academic and professional journeys in agribusiness

PRELIMINARY ROUND

In the Preliminary Round of the VBC, teams will have 4 hours to analyze the research case and submit their video and one-page brief that outlines their solution. It is expected that all team members will have comparable speaking roles and significantly contribute to their team’s presentation. Each Time Zone Group will receive the same research case. Teams will be given a scoring rubric in advance that will be used by the judges.

All registered teams will receive complete instructions of how to prepare and submit their videos prior to the start of the competition. The research case and an entrepreneurship toolkit will be emailed to Team Captains at the start time outlined below.

What Time Zone should your team compete in? Find your exact compete time in this document.

Time Zone Group A Teams: 08:00-12:00 CEST, 13-November 2025
Time Zone Group B Teams: 20:00-00:00 CEST, 13-November 2025

A panel of judges comprised of members from Agraya, the IFAMA Young Board members and international experts will complete a scoring rubric for each competing team and announce the championship qualifiers at least six-hours prior to the start time of the Day 2 Final Championship Round.

FINALS CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND

Advancing teams from each Group that advance to the Finals Championship Round will have 2 hours to answer an existential question related to the original research case and upload their response into their designated Team folder.

Teams compete in the same Groups as they did in the Preliminary Round: Finals Championship Round-Compete Times

Time Zone Group A Teams: 08:00-10:00 CET, 14-November 2025
Time Zone Group B Teams: 20:00-22:00 CET, 14-November 2025

OUR SPONSOR: AGRAYA. As the corporate home of the well-established GLOBALG.A.P. and GGN label brands, AGRAYA GmbH builds on over two decades of technical and operational expertise. Nevertheless, this is not just a continuation, but a deliberate shift toward a future-ready organization equipped to tackle emerging challenges and opportunities in the agricultural sector. Agraya's mission is to empower agricultural supply chains with trusted intelligence that enhances operational efficiency.

AWARD CEREMONY

An Awards Ceremony will occur on Monday, 17-November. Highlights from the teams innovative solutions will be compiled into a Grand Finale video presented during the awards ceremony. All competitors and winners will be formally recognized during a live awards ceremony. The event will be recorded.

Awards Ceremony: 17-November: 20:00 CET

$3500 USD will be awarded to winning teams and other non-cash prizes will be announced.

TEAM REGISTRATION & FEES

1. Download the application here:

2. Email the completed applications no later than 06-November to VBC: conference@ifama.org

Students or Early Career Professionals who are not attached to a team but want to compete may apply to join a team by completing an individual application. Every effort will be made to accommodate all unaffiliated individuals, however, if more applications are received than can be accommodated, preference will be given to applications with the earliest submission dates.

Each member of the team must be an active member of IFAMA in order to participate in the competition. You can easily join IFAMA by following this link: www.ifama.org/join-now ($25 USD membership fee).

Registration fee per team (2–4 member team): $150 USD
Registration fee per person for individuals who want IFAMA to help them form a team: $50 USD