Camden Challenge Prize
Overview
This year, the first ever Camden Challenge Prize aims to spark new ideas and bring fresh perspectives to their Food Mission. Join the movement to create a more sustainable Hospitality and Food Service (HaFS) Sector.
Food waste is a growing issue within the HaFS Sector, but they believe that through innovation and creativity, we can transform how food waste is prevented and managed. They invite everyone – individuals, startups, chefs, innovators, and organisations – to propose new business ideas and innovations to help reduce and manage food waste across the HaFS Sector.
Eligibility
The Camden Challenge Prize 2025 is open to individuals, groups, start–ups and organisations across the UK. They can be students, professionals, startups, non–profits or for-profits, based anywhere in the UK. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or an emerging innovator, your ideas matter.
All applicants must be over the age of 18
Local applicability: though the prize is national in its search for innovators and ideas, the solutions must be tested in and applicable to the London Borough of Camden.
The Prize pot
The winner and one runner-up will be awarded funds to continue developing their ideas, implement and scale their work.
- £75,000 - The winner of the Camden Challenge Prize 2025 will be awarded £75,000.
- £25,000 - The runner-up of the Camden Challenge Prize 2025 will be awarded £25,000.
Application notes
Applications should respond to at least one of the Challenges. They are not looking for innovations in food distribution.
1. Reducing food surplus
The challenge: Enable hospitality and food service businesses to reduce surplus by getting a grasp on how much surplus and waste is created, addressing overproduction or helping them respond more effectively to consumer trends.
2. Influencing workplace cultures and practices
The challenge: Shift hospitality and food service workplace culture and practices so that reducing food surplus and waste becomes a natural part of daily routines and decision-making.
3. Managing inedible food waste
The challenge: Reduce the amount of inedible food waste from hospitality and food service businesses that ends up at landfill, either by supporting businesses to effectively manage food waste that can no longer be eaten or by providing alternative opportunities for utilising that food waste.