The Growing Further Awards 2025 took centre stage in Dublin last week, spotlighting some of the most promising startups working to revolutionise the food retail supply chain. Organised by Greenman Group, Europe’s only fully integrated grocery-anchored real estate investment and fund management company, the awards celebrate pioneering solutions tackling critical challenges in food production, distribution, retail, customer engagement, and the built environment.
With finalists hailing from across Europe and India, the event provided a platform for startups to showcase their innovative solutions to a panel of retail executives, investors, and industry leaders. More than just a competition, the awards serve as a springboard for emerging companies, offering a €100,000 prize fund to support their growth and foster industry connections.
BillionCarbon takes the grand prize
After an intense day of pitches and discussions, BillionCarbon emerged as the overall winner for its groundbreaking approach to decarbonising the food supply chain. The company’s fully circular food waste conversion technology transforms food waste into liquid bio-fertiliser concentrate and animal feed, providing an efficient, scalable, and low-emission alternative to conventional waste disposal. By helping industries reduce waste and enhance soil health, BillionCarbon’s innovation earned them €62,500 to further scale their solution.
Category winners: Innovating across the supply chain
Beyond the grand prize, the Growing Further Awards recognised five startups making remarkable contributions to different facets of the grocery retail supply chain:
- Production – BillionCarbon
Reinforcing its leadership in sustainability, BillionCarbon also secured the award in the Production category, demonstrating the impact of its waste conversion technology. - Customer Engagement – Greenpage
Greenpage is creating a platform that empowers brands and consumers to track and reduce their environmental footprint, facilitating sustainability-conscious decision-making in retail. - Built Environment – Terratonics
With a focus on sustainable infrastructure, Terratonics is advancing low-carbon foundation technology, which significantly cuts emissions in construction while improving energy efficiency. - Distribution & Retail – CU Mehrweg
Tackling the issue of single-use plastics in food retail, CU Mehrweg has developed a reusable and fully circular packaging system, reducing packaging waste in distribution and retail environments. - Best Bud Audience Choice Award – SkoneLabs
Voted the audience favourite, SkoneLabs leverages IoT and AI to monitor food quality and combat wastage in the fresh food industry, enhancing efficiency and sustainability.
Beyond the awards: A catalyst for industry change
Beyond the financial rewards, the Growing Further Awards serve as a vital platform for startups, offering access to industry leaders, networking opportunities, and potential collaborations with major players in food retail. The event underscores the growing importance of sustainable innovation in shaping the future of grocery supply chains.
As the industry grapples with challenges ranging from climate change and supply chain disruptions to evolving sustainability targets, these awards highlight the pivotal role of startups in driving impactful change. With solutions that promise to reduce waste, enhance efficiency, and promote circular economy principles, the winners of the Growing Further Awards 2025 are setting the stage for a more resilient and sustainable food retail ecosystem.