Omani startup Firdaws Biotechnology has won first place in the climate resilience and water security category at the sixth Youth-Led Innovation Awards for Startups, held during the World Food Forum 2026 in Rome.
The company was selected from 801 startups across 111 countries after multiple evaluation rounds involving more than 60 international judges. The final ceremony took place on October 14 at the headquarters of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.
Firdaws develops organic products made from marine algae and beneficial microbes. The solutions are designed to help crops withstand heat, drought, soil degradation and irrigation-water salinity, challenges that are particularly relevant to agriculture in Oman.
According to co-founder Fahmi Al Kharousi, the products have delivered comparable performance to solutions from large global companies at one-fifth of the cost. A lettuce trial in the California desert produced a 22% increase in yield despite high temperatures, the company said. Its technology has also completed independent soybean testing at Pennsylvania State University, the University of Kentucky and the University of Missouri.
Firdaws is now preparing to expand manufacturing, increase production capacity and explore exports. The company has received investment from the Oman Future Fund through Cipher Capital, while the FAO has expressed interest in deepening cooperation and supporting its presence in Oman.
Source: Oman Daily
