Seed Innovation Award 2026 – Innovations for the Agriculture of Tomorrow The Seed Innovation Award recognizes outstanding innovations along the value chain of cereal seed production. The aim of the award is to highlight forward-looking ideas, products, and processes that make a measurable contribution to the further development of the seed sector—particularly with regard to efficiency, sustainability, and practical applicability. The award is initiated and organized by the Getreidefonds Z-Saatgut e. V.. With the Seed Innovation Award, the GFZS provides a platform to actively promote innovative approaches, strengthen knowledge transfer within the industry, and generate new impulses for the agriculture of tomorrow. All relevant information on the award, including participation requirements and deadlines, is available on the website www.saatgutinnovationspreis.de. Eligible to participate are start-ups, companies, research institutions, individuals, and project teams that have developed—or are currently developing—market-ready products or innovations at an advanced stage of development. The focus is on solutions related to cereal seeds, for example in the areas of production, processing, treatment, quality assurance, storage, logistics, distribution, or digitalization along the entire value chain. Submissions are evaluated by an expert jury composed of representatives from science, industry, plant breeding, agricultural practice, and the start-up ecosystem. Key evaluation criteria include practical relevance, benefits for the sector, degree of innovation, market readiness, future potential, and sustainability. Based on all submissions, the jury creates a shortlist of the most promising innovations. Shortlisted candidates are invited to present their projects to a high-level professional audience. The award ceremony takes place as part of the DLG-Feldtage on the DLG-Plaza, offering participants a prominent stage at one of the most important agricultural industry events in Germany. The first prize is endowed with a cash award of €3,000. In addition, all shortlisted projects benefit from increased visibility through trade media and the communication channels of the GFZS. A further key advantage is access to the strong network of the Getreidefonds Z-Saatgut e. V., providing valuable opportunities for professional exchange, cooperation, and long-term positioning within the seed industry. With the Seed Innovation Award, the GFZS actively contributes to identifying promising innovations at an early stage, supporting their development, and sustainably anchoring them within the seed sector.