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Indian-founded Kheyti wins 2026 global Lipman Prize honor
The social enterprise earns $250,000 grand prize for climate-focused farming solutions for smallholder farmers
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Pranavi Sharma - Tue, 21, Apr 2026
- 01:57 EDT
- 17
Kaushik Kappagantulu / X/EarthshotPrize
Kheyti, co-founded by Indian-origin entrepreneur Kaushik Kappagantulu, has been named the grand prize winner of the 2026 Barry & Marie Lipman Family Prize, organizers announced.
The annual prize, administered by the Wharton School on behalf of the University of Pennsylvania, recognizes global organizations offering innovative solutions to social challenges. Kheyti will receive $250,000 in unrestricted funding as the top awardee.
The winners were honored at the 15th annual Lipman Family Prize ceremony held in Philadelphia on April 16. Two additional organizations — Barefoot College International and Food for All Africa — will each receive $150,000.
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Selected from more than 300 applicants worldwide, Kheyti was recognized for providing greenhouse solutions tailored to smallholder farmers. Founded in 2015, the organization aims to reduce climate risk and increase farm incomes through its “Greenhouse-in-a-Box,” a low-cost system paired with advisory services.
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.” She added that the organization is addressing critical challenges in ways that are “deeply rooted in their communities, and scalable in their ambition.”
Kappagantulu, an alumnus of IIT Kharagpur, said the recognition reflects the resilience of farmers served by the organization.
“We are deeply humbled and honored to be named the 2026 Lipman Family Grand Prize Winner,” he said. “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.”
He said the prize money would support expansion plans. “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,” he said. He also cited expected collaboration with Wharton and the University of Pennsylvania.
In addition to funding, all three winners receive executive education and advisory support through the University of Pennsylvania, along with access to a global network of social impact leaders.
Barefoot College International trains rural women as solar engineers and entrepreneurs, while Food for All Africa works to reduce food waste and improve nutrition by redistributing surplus food and repurposing organic waste.
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