A non-governmental organization that helps Indian small farmers, Kheyti, has been named the grand prize winner of the 2026 Barry & Marie Lipman Family Prize.
Chosen from more than 300 applicants from around the globe, Kheyti, which was co-founded by CEO, Kaushik Kappagantulu, “stood out as the only social enterprise offering full-service greenhouse solutions specifically designed for smallholder farmers,” an April 20, 2026, press release from UPenn said.
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, as well as executive education benefits and support from the Wharton School and the University of Pennsylvania.. The other two winners, Barefoot College International and Food for All Africa will each receive $150,000, plus the other benefits same as Kheyti.
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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 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.”
Kappagantulu added that the $250,000 award will directly fuel Kheyti’s 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,” Kappagantulu said.
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.
The Prize aims to connect those on the cusp of great change with resources, skills and people power to expand the impact and influence of their ideas.
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, the press release said. 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.