Will agrifood innovation ever churn out unicorns by the dozen? Unlikely. 🚫🦄

So, is the infamous Power Law the wrong compass for this sector? We’d say yes.

Most food systems around the world rely on significant government subsidies to stay viable. So, do the most groundbreaking solutions automatically become infrastructure plays or hinge on public funding? Not all—but some.

And subsidies? Love them or hate them, they’re often necessary (even if they can sometimes be toxic).

With capital markets tightening and a global funding winter in full swing, investors are more cautious than ever. This makes it even more critical to align the right type of capital with the right kind of innovation. Some sectors thrive on venture capital, others require private equity muscle, and many—especially those tangled in regulation—need government-backed or blended finance approaches. But let’s be clear: blended finance isn’t just a safety net for low returns; it has to be deployed strategically.

That’s why this year’s FFA25 agenda is shaped by our investment heatmap—a tool to help you visualize where capital is flowing, which sectors are heating up, and what role policy and regulation play in shaping the future of agrifood innovation.

🔥 Where is the heat, and what’s driving it? Explore the heatmap below and see how we’ve mapped out the hottest innovation and investment opportunities in food system transformation