It’s a challenging time to be in the food business. Climate change is making it harder to grow crops. Food companies are struggling with supply chain disruptions while simultaneously trying to reduce their own environmental impact and make healthier products. A suite of new tech can help—from making crops more resilient to heatwaves to using AI to help cut food waste.
BioLumic
For unlocking new traits in seeds with UV light
BioLumic uses bursts of UV light to alter how crops grow, creating precise “light recipes” that can improve yield, boost nutrition, and make plants like rice more resilient to drought, heat, and other climate pressures. In a recent hybrid corn trial, the company reported yield gains of 58%. A single treatment can even pass benefits on to the next generation of seeds. The approach is about 90% cheaper and faster than gene-editing methods such as CRISPR, making it more accessible to the smallholder farmers who stand to benefit most.
Journey Foods
For optimizing food for health and sustainability
As food companies create new products or update existing ones, Journey Food’s machine learning platform recommends ingredients that boost nutrition, lower environmental impact, and reduce costs without compromising taste. The system draws on a database of more than 40 billion food insights, including global sourcing and nutrient records, and can cut time to market by up to 40%.
Metafoodx
For tackling food waste with AI
In commercial kitchens, a new tool from Metafoodx scans plates in seconds to track food waste. When a dish is returned, the 3D scanner captures its image, weight, and temperature then uses AI to analyze what remains. The data helps chefs better forecast demand and refine menus. Kitchens using the technology have reported reductions in food waste of up to 90%.
Pasture Biosciences
For curbing the methane in cow burps
Cattle burps are a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, and Pasture Biosciences is tackling the problem with a vaccine that targets the microbes responsible for methane production. The vaccine trains the animal’s immune system to recognize and suppress those microbes, offering a simple solution compared to feed additives that are difficult to manage with grazing herds. Early results suggest it can cut emissions by double-digit percentages.
The companies and individuals behind these technologies are among the honorees in Fast Company’s Next Big Things in Tech awards for 2025. Read more about the winners across all categories and the methodology behind the selection process.
