UST enlists bright young minds for hackathon that tackles food waste via innovative technology solutions

UST, a digital transformation solutions specialist, hosted its annual Zero-Waste Hackathon 2025 on 22nd May, bringing together bright young minds from across the globe to design innovative tech solutions to reduce food waste across the supply chain.

UST received 88 entries from around the world for this, including submissions from university students, professionals, innovators, and changemakers who came together to participate in this event. The top ten teams hailed from India, Spain, the US, and the UK. Of these, the top five joined the final round in person at the UST London office, while the remaining five participated virtually.

Each team discussed pressing business challenges in the hospitality sector, with a focus on buffet food waste. To address these problems, their solutions made use of AI technologies, complete with coded implementations. Numerous solutions demonstrated how technology can have a lasting impact and were highly compatible with UST's AI + ESG vision.

On 22nd May, the participants engaged in a full day challenge focused on promoting sustainability in the food service sector. The winning teams were Zero Forks (UK), an external team, and Cul Intel, from UST (India). Zero Forks impressed the judges with their approach that utilised behavioural science to minimise food waste within households.

Highlighting that preventing food waste should start in the kitchen, they created the Zero Forks app which is a playful and interactive platform that turns reducing food waste into a game. The application not only informs users but also encourages dialogue between consumers and the food sector, distinguishing it as an exceptional solution.

Cul Intel, on the other hand, showcased an AI driven platform that intelligently optimises menu offerings, pricing, portion sizes, and real-time food redistribution. This approach to reducing waste in food service operations earned them high praise from the judges.

The event concluded with an awards ceremony, where the top winning teams received certificates and a share of the £1,500 prize pool.

Praveen Prabhakaran, Chief Delivery Officer and Managing Director, UK at UST, says: "This hackathon was more than just a competition - it was a call to action. The solutions presented today demonstrate the power of technology to tackle urgent real-world challenges like food waste. We're proud to support the next generation of changemakers."

Robert Hodges, Head of Innovations Programmes, Amazon Web Services, says: "It was fantastic to see such a great amount of energy and passion focused on such a great cause. The progress made by the competing teams within such a short time was remarkable."

"Innovation in sustainability starts with bold ideas, and today's participants pushed the boundaries of what's possible. It's inspiring to see tech and purpose come together so powerfully," says Raj Jeyaratnam, Transformation Director, D&T, Compass Group.

"It was a real privilege to be involved in judging this year's hackathon. The creativity, energy, and commitment these teams brought to solving food waste challenges were truly impressive," comments Steve Hewitt, Co-Founder, 40 Percent.

"Young minds with smart tech are a powerful force for good. It was great to be involved in exploring potential solutions that tackle food waste and drive real-world sustainability," says Asma Mohamed, Transformation Director, Levy.

RTIH AI in Retail Awards

RTIH, organiser of the industry leading RTIH Innovation Awards, proudly brings you the first edition of the RTIH AI in Retail Awards, which is now open for entries. 

As we witness a digital transformation revolution across all channels, AI tools are reshaping the omnichannel game, from personalising customer experiences to optimising inventory, uncovering insights into consumer behaviour, and enhancing the human element of retailers' businesses.

With 2025 set to be the year when AI and especially gen AI shake off the ‘heavily hyped’ tag and become embedded in retail business processes, our newly launched awards celebrate global technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world and the resulting benefits for retailers, shoppers and employees.

Our 2025 winners will be those companies who not only recognise the potential of AI, but also make it usable in everyday work - resulting in more efficiency and innovation in all areas.

Winners will be announced at an evening event at The Barbican in Central London on Wednesday, 3rd September.

This will kick off with a drinks reception in the stunning Conservatory, followed by a three course meal, and awards ceremony in the Garden Room.

Please email our Editor, Scott Thompson, if you have any questions or need further information: scott.thompson@retailtechinnovationhub.com

Key 2025 dates

Friday, 18th July: Award entry deadline 

Tuesday, 22nd July: 2025 finalists revealed

Wednesday, 23rd July - Friday, 8th August: Judging days

Wednesday, 3rd September: Winners announced at the 2025 RTIH AI in Retail Awards Ceremony, to be held at The Barbican in Central London.