SciPhage Wins 2026 Innovate for Impact Challenge
Colombian agtech startup SciPhage took first place and a $65,000 prize at the Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue in Des Moines.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Life Sciences
Colombian startup Ciencia y Tecnología de Fagos SciPhage S.A.S won the 2026 Innovate for Impact Challenge at the Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue in Des Moines. The company received a $65,000 first prize for its bacteriophage-based alternatives to antibiotics in livestock and aquaculture.
Why it matters
The challenge drew more than 1,500 applications from over 100 countries, and the award recognizes early-stage agtech firms pursuing non-antibiotic approaches to animal health. SciPhage's work addresses demand for alternatives to antibiotics in food production.
The competition received more than 1,500 applications from over 100 countries, and four finalists pitched live before a judging panel. SciPhage's lead poultry product is patented in Colombia, the United States and Brazil, while a trout product is still in field validation.
The players
SciPhage
Ciencia y Tecnología de Fagos SciPhage S.A.S is a Colombian agtech startup founded at the Universidad de los Andes that develops bacteriophage-based alternatives to antibiotics.
Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue
The Borlaug Dialogue is an annual international forum in Des Moines honoring agricultural scientist Norman Borlaug, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate known for the Green Revolution.
The details
SciPhage, founded at the Universidad de los Andes in Colombia, develops bacteriophages that control pathogens as a natural alternative to antibiotics. Its lead product controls Salmonella in poultry, and the company was selected in a Shark Tank-style competition with four finalists pitching their innovations live.
Timeline
Recently, the Borlaug International Dialogue was held in Des Moines, where SciPhage received the award.
Seasonal Patterns
The shift away from antibiotics in livestock and aquaculture has gained momentum as producers seek alternatives, and SciPhage's bacteriophage products fit within that broader movement toward non-antibiotic animal health tools.
For food producers, phage-based products could offer a non-antibiotic option for controlling pathogens such as Salmonella in poultry. The trout product remains in field validation, so availability for producers has not yet been established.
The takeaway
Alternatives to antibiotics are gaining attention in food production, and phage-based tools represent one approach under development. Readers interested in the sector can track validation results as products move from patents into field use.
Further reading
Explore more research in our Life Sciences section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Business Record.
