Symactiv wins Clima Now Spotlight 2026
Symactiv took first place at the Clima Now Spotlight Pitch Night, held on 29 October at Kraftwerk Zurich. Luya and Mokä secured second and third place respectively, with Mokä also winning the Audience Award. The event marked the conclusion of the 2026 Spotlight innovation competition, which focused on building a more sustainable Swiss food system.
Driving innovation for Switzerland's food system
"How will we feed Switzerland tomorrow?" This was the central question of the Clima Now Spotlight innovation competition 2026.
Clima Now identified four key areas offering significant opportunities for innovation: preserving natural resources such as soil and biodiversity, closing resource loops in food processing, unlocking new synergies between stakeholders across the food system, and developing new forms of value creation.
The competition launched in May with an open call for applications. In September, 14 projects were selected for the Wall of Fame, before a public vote determined the seven finalists in early October.
Seven finalists pitch their solutions
On 29 October, the seven finalist teams presented their ideas for a more sustainable and resilient Swiss food system at the Clima Now Spotlight Pitch Night at Kraftwerk Zurich.
The jury evaluated the projects based on criteria including climate impact, scalability, innovation and feasibility.
Meet the winners
1st place: Symactiv – CHF 50,000
Symactiv transforms Swiss mushroom waste into 100% biological pellets containing billions of microorganisms, which can be applied to soil in the same way as fertiliser. Mimicking the properties of forest soil, the solution helps build humus and store CO₂ in the ground, making agriculture and urban environments more resilient to climate change. The solution delivers 17% higher yields, 20% better water retention to help combat drought stress, and 50% fewer plant diseases.
2nd place: Luya – CHF 25,000
Swiss foodtech company Luya aims to produce fermented tempeh from locally grown pulses, offering a climate-friendly alternative to imported protein sources. By strengthening regional value chains and reducing emissions through shorter transport distances, the project supports a more sustainable Swiss food system while delivering tasty, natural products.
3rd place: Mokä – CHF 10,000
Mokä is developing cracked lentil mixes that make it easier and more versatile to incorporate Swiss-grown pulses into institutional catering. Having already successfully tested its products in practice, the team now aims to transition from small-scale, artisanal production to professional, scalable manufacturing, with the goal of establishing Swiss lentils as a permanent feature in institutional catering.
Audience Award: Mokä – CHF 5,000
Turning innovative ideas into climate solutions
"Symactiv transforms a waste product into a solution for one of our biggest challenges: depleted soils that are vulnerable to drought. The combination of circular economy principles, humus development and measurable benefits for agriculture convinced the jury. Innovations like this demonstrate that climate protection and agricultural productivity can go hand in hand," said Martin Meili, President of the Clima Now Foundation Board and Spotlight jury member.
For the winning team, the award provides an important boost as they move into the next phase of development. "This is an enormous motivation for our team. We are now building Soil Mirror, an initiative that allows Swiss farmers to have their soil analysed free of charge before we work together to restore its health," added Louis Becker, Co-founder and CEO of Symactiv.
Supporting innovation through collaboration
Through the Clima Now Spotlight 2026 competition, Clima Now and its partners Innovate 4 Nature, Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley, Zweifel Chips & Snacks AG and Graubünden Ferien are supporting impactful innovations that can help accelerate the transition towards a net-zero food system.
In addition to their prize money, the winning teams will benefit from expertise and support from the Spotlight partners. "Spotlight thrives thanks to our partners. The prize money is important, but equally valuable are the connections, knowledge and opportunities they provide to the projects. We sincerely thank everyone who made this year's Spotlight possible," said Corinne Grässle, Managing Director of Clima Now.
About Clima Now
Clima Now Spotlight is an annual innovation competition supporting projects that address key climate challenges. In 2026, the focus was on Switzerland's food system, identifying impactful solutions that can contribute to its transition towards net zero. Planning for Spotlight 2027 is already underway, with the next edition set to focus on another major area of climate action.