What FoodShot Global does

FoodShot Global is a New York-based non-profit founded in 2018 that operates as a grant-making and convening organization aimed at catalyzing innovation in the food system. Its stated mission is to pursue "moonshots" for a healthier, more equitable, and sustainable food system, and it does so by funding and coordinating multi-stakeholder research programs rather than producing commercial products directly. The organization has 1-10 employees and works through a network of academic, government, and industry partners.

Its most prominent current activity is co-funding the Pulse Quality and Nutritional Breeding Program at Clemson University, led by Dr. Dil Thavarajah, alongside USDA-NIFA and the South Carolina Department of Agriculture. The program develops biofortified pulse cultivars — lentils, chickpeas, and dry peas — positioned as winter cash crops for small-to-medium farmers in South Carolina, with planned field trial expansion to other Southeastern US states. Industry collaborators on field trials include Anson Mills, WP Rawl, and Rollen's RAW Grains, which provide market expertise and potential distribution pathways. New organic dry pea cultivars are scheduled for release in 2026, representing the first near-term commercial output of the program.

The organization has no disclosed pricing, no commercial product revenue, and no traditional go-to-market motion. Its business model is non-profit grant-making and investment in agricultural research, with impact delivered indirectly through university research programs, field trials, and industry partnerships rather than through direct product distribution. Its leadership includes founding member and advisory board member Justin Siegel and executive director Sara Eckhouse. There is no public information on ownership, governance, donor base, or operating budget.

Name

FoodShot Global

Website

https://foodshot.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

FoodShot Global is a New York-based non-profit founded in 2018 that funds and convenes multi-stakeholder agricultural research programs, most notably co-funding Clemson University's pulse crop breeding program with USDA-NIFA to develop biofortified winter cash crops for Southeastern US farmers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Core offering

FoodShot Global is a non-profit funding and catalytic investment organization that supports agricultural research and innovation aimed at building a healthy, equitable, and sustainable food system. Its core activity is providing grants and program funding to research initiatives developing biofortified pulse crops (lentils, chickpeas, dry peas) as winter cash crops for Southeastern US farmers, with the Pulse Quality and Nutritional Breeding Program at Clemson University as a flagship funded initiative.

Product overview

FoodShot Global is a funding and grant-making organization that supports agricultural research programs focused on developing biofortified pulse crops and sustainable farming innovations. The organization partners with universities and agricultural research institutions to fund and advance nutritional breeding programs, though the available sources do not describe specific named product offerings or technology platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pulse Quality and Nutritional Breeding Program (Clemson University) Multi-year funded agricultural research program developing biofortified pulse crop cultivars (lentils, chickpeas, dry peas) for use as winter cash crops by South Carolina and Southeastern US farmers. The program conducts multi-location field trials, advances nutritional breeding, and develops new cultivars including organic dry pea varieties, with outputs designed to deliver new revenue streams, crop diversification, and nutritional outcomes for regional agriculture.

Quantifiable outcome

• New organic dry pea cultivars scheduled for release in 2026, with expansion of field trials planned across other Southeastern states

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Anson MillscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partner collaborating with the Clemson University Pulse Quality and Nutritional Breeding Program on field trials for biofortified pulse crops, contributing market expertise and potentially distribution pathways for new cultivars.
• WP RawlcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partner collaborating on field trials for biofortified pulse crops as part of the broader program funded by FoodShot Global, USDA-NIFA, and the South Carolina Department of Agriculture.
• Rollen's RAW GrainscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partner collaborating on the development and testing of pulse crop cultivars in South Carolina, supporting the integration of new winter cash crops into the regional agricultural economy.
• Clemson UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary research institution executing the Pulse Quality and Nutritional Breeding Program led by Dr. Dil Thavarajah, with field trials across multiple South Carolina locations and planned expansion to other Southeastern states.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Crop Trust: International non-profit focused on crop diversity conservation and breeding research funding. Comparable as a non-profit that funds crop genetic resource and breeding programs globally to support food security, with similar co-funding partnerships.
• Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research: US-based non-profit that funds collaborative agricultural research through public-private partnerships. Directly comparable to FoodShot Global's grant-making model focused on US agriculture innovation, though with a significantly larger mandate and budget.
• Global Alliance for the Future of Food: Coalition of philanthropic foundations working to transform food systems through grants and convening. Comparable as a non-profit funder focused on sustainable food systems innovation with similar mission framing around food system transformation.
• AGRA (Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa): Non-profit organization focused on agricultural innovation and food security through funding and partnership with research institutions. Comparable mission of catalyzing smallholder agricultural transformation via funded breeding and crop improvement programs.
• Food Tank: Non-profit organization focused on sustainable food systems education and innovation. Comparable as a mission-driven food systems catalyst that convenes stakeholders around food system transformation, though primarily through research and advocacy rather than direct research funding.
• EAT: Non-profit foundation focused on transforming global food systems through science-based targets and partnership convening. Comparable mission of catalyzing food system change and connecting research with action, though more focused on global dialogue.

Emerging players

• Heifer International: Non-profit focused on ending hunger and poverty through sustainable agriculture. Comparable as a food security-focused non-profit, but with a stronger focus on livestock and direct farmer support rather than crop breeding research.
• FoodCorps: Non-profit focused on food education and connecting children to healthy food through school programs. Comparable as a US-based food systems non-profit, but focused on education and access rather than agricultural research funding.

Broad incumbents

• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: Largest philanthropic foundation globally with major agricultural development and food security programs funding breeding research at CGIAR centers. Comparable mission focus on food security through agricultural innovation, but at orders-of-magnitude greater scale and global scope.
• The Rockefeller Foundation: Major philanthropic foundation with significant food systems and food security initiatives. Comparable as a funder of food innovation but operates at vastly greater scale and across multiple sectors beyond food.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses2 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FoodShotGlobal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/foodshot-global

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about FoodShot Global