Barefoot College International and Food for All Africa Win $150,000 Each
PHILADELPHIA, April 20, 2026 – Kheyti has been named the grand prize winner of the 2026 Barry & Marie Lipman Family Prize. Chosen from over 300 applicants around the globe, Kheyti stood out as the only social enterprise offering full-service greenhouse solutions specifically designed for smallholder farmers. Founded in 2015, Kheyti’s goal is to reduce climate risk and increase farmer income.
As the 2026 grand prize winner, Kheyti will receive $250,000 in unrestricted funds while additional winners Barefoot College International and Food for All Africa will each receive $150,000. All winners will receive executive education benefits and support from the Wharton School and the University of Pennsylvania. The 2026 winners were celebrated at the 15th annual Lipman Family Prize Award Ceremony held in Philadelphia, PA on April 16, 2026.
Lipman Prize Director Euria Min said, “We are thrilled to recognize Kheyti as the 2026 Grand Prize Winner as they represent bold vision and exceptional leadership. They are addressing critical challenges in ways that are deeply rooted in their communities, and scalable in their ambition. Kheyti reminds us that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to social impact; only leaders who are willing to think differently, act courageously, and adapt as they grow.”
“We are deeply humbled and honored to be named the 2026 Lipman Family Grand Prize Winner,” said Kheyti’s Co-founder & CEO, Kaushik Kappagantulu. “This recognition is a tribute to the incredible resilience of the smallholder farmers we serve and the dedication of the Kheyti team working alongside them every day. The $250,000 award will directly fuel our strategic plan to reach tens of thousands of farmers over the next three years through investments in government partnerships and AI-powered advisory services. We are also excited about the partnership opportunities with Wharton and the University of Pennsylvania as we work to make climate-smart farming accessible to every small farmer who needs it.”
About the 2026 Winners
- Barefoot College International trains rural women worldwide as solar engineers, educators, and entrepreneurs, expanding renewable energy access while advancing economic and energy independence.
- Food For All Africa combats food waste and nutrition insecurity in Ghana by operating West Africa’s first and largest food bank, rescuing surplus food and converting organic waste into valuable resources through a circular model.
- Kheyti doubles smallholder farmer incomes, protecting them from extreme weather, and makes agriculture significantly more sustainable through its affordable, modular, Greenhouse-in-a-Box, an ultra low-cost greenhouse bundled with end-to-end services.
In addition to the $250,000 financial prize, all three Lipman Family Prize winners gain access to a growing network of change-makers and thought leaders to accelerate cutting-edge change worldwide. The Prize connects those on the cusp of great change with resources, skills and people power to expand the impact and influence of their ideas. Benefits include an executive education program, an exclusive opportunity to apply for the Lipman Nonprofit Leadership Scholarship in the School of Social Policy & Practice, pro-bono consultation from University faculty and staff, peer learning events, as well as expert and student-driven research to inform and guide their work.
About the Lipman Family Prize
First awarded in 2012, the Lipman Family Prize is an annual global prize that advances creative solutions by inspiring people to think together in new ways. Administered by the Wharton School on behalf of the University of Pennsylvania, the Prize is committed to resourcing and connecting change-makers to bring innovative ideas to new places and problems around the world. Previous grand prize winners include iDE, READ Global, Breakthrough, Riders for Health, Soccer Without Borders, Women Against Abuse, MyAgro, World Bicycle Relief, Sanku, EarthEnable, CDD Society, Build Up Nepal, Seacology, and Barbershops Books.
About the Wharton School
Founded in 1881 as the world’s first collegiate business school, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is shaping the future of business by incubating ideas, driving insights, and creating leaders who change the world. With a faculty of more than 235 renowned professors, Wharton has 5,000 undergraduate, MBA, executive MBA, and doctoral students. Each year, 100,000 professionals from around the world advance their careers through Wharton Executive Education’s individual, company-customized, and online programs, and thousands of pre-collegiate students explore business concepts through Wharton’s Global Youth Program. More than 105,000 Wharton alumni form a powerful global network of leaders who transform business every day. For more information, visit www.wharton.upenn.edu.
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