Dear Colleagues,
Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) is accepting applications to the Egg-Tech Prize, a groundbreaking initiative that seeks to revolutionize global egg production by preventing the culling of male chicks.
The Egg-Tech Prize, a $6 million initiative from the FFAR and Open Philanthropy, is intended to stimulate development of technologies for accurate, high-speed and early-stage in ovo sex determination of layer chicks. The Egg-Tech Prize has the potential to revolutionize U.S. and global egg production by preventing the culling of day-old male chicks (cockerels) in poultry hatcheries. The Egg-Tech Prize welcomes applications from around the world to develop innovative solutions to this problem by developing a commercially and economically viable technology that can identify the sex of eggs prior to incubation, which may allow male eggs to be directed into the food supply or vaccine production. The Prize will also foster competition and build momentum to support scientific breakthroughs, from concept to prototype development, to provide practical solutions for the egg industry.
The program has two funding phases.
Phase I: Seed Funding is open for concept submissions from March 20, 2019 through May 15, 2019. Phase I provides funding to develop the necessary technology to compete in Phase II. Phase I will award seed funding to explore new ideas or significant improvements of existing technology. Scientific approaches may include any technically feasible methods for identifying embryo sex, including but not limited to genetic, hormone or chemical-based assays that use microfluidics, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), robotics, spectrophotometry or light scattering, colorimetry, volatile chemical detection, sensors and/or machine-learning. Phase I funding will support research projects that develop a technology capable of high sensitivity and specificity; functions prior to incubation of eggs at 37-38 °C; processing 2,000 eggs per hour; and is non-invasive/does not penetrate the eggshell. Phase I applicants may request up to 400,000 for a 24-month project duration. Matching funds are NOT required.
Phase II: Prize Competition where the objective is to develop and validate a working prototype that meets the criteria published in late 2019. Phase II will involve development and validation of a working prototype of a clean technology. Success will require evidence that the working prototype meets mandatory prize criteria, including possible in-person demonstration. Phase II will fund up to $4,500,000, providing funding to develop and validate working prototypes. Participation in Phase II of the competition does not require that a Research Team apply for or receive an award in Phase I. Phase II will be open to all Research Team(s) regardless of previous participation or funding in Phase I of the Egg-Tech Prize. Phase II will not be open to receive applications until 2020. Full details will be available in November 2019.
If you are interested in applying, please submit a Phase I application by the deadline of May 15th. For additional information, please review the program's website at https://foundationfar.org/egg-tech-prize/
Applications will be completed online at https://grants.foundationfar.org/
Thank you.
Kathleen Nolan, Director, ANR Office of Contracts & Grants (OCG)