Six African start-ups emerged victorious at the AfricArena Nairobi Climate Tech Summit after impressing investors with their innovative solutions.
The summit featured intense pitch battles, where start-ups showcased their work in clean tech, climate tech, agri-tech, and circular economy sectors.
More than 20 businesses participated, and the winners convinced investors of their potential in just five-minute presentations.
Each start-up received $25,000 in AWS Activate credits and will compete at the AfricArena Grand Summit against other regional champions.
Also Read: NITDA Launches Digital Literacy Initiative to Empower Millions in Nigeria
Start-Ups in Green Economy Sectors
The winners included MonSapo from Tunisia, which won the Best Clean-Tech Start-Up award. MonSapo uses AI and machine learning to convert used cooking oil into eco-friendly cleaning products.
Rhea from Kenya won the Best Climate-Tech Start-Up award with its tech solution for soil nutrient analysis and recommendations.
Kenyan biotech company GenePlus Global Limited took home the Best Agri-Tech Start-Up award. Gjenge Makers, also from Kenya, won the Best Circular Economy Start-Up award for its efforts to recycle plastic waste.
Flat6Labs Africa Seed Fund received the Best Investor Pitch award, and Ecolinks, based in South Korea, was named the Most Promising Entrepreneur.
Boosting Africa’s Green Economy
These start-ups, including those from the Korea-Africa Foundation, SAIS supported by GIZ, and Digital Africa, highlighted Africa’s growing green economy. They demonstrated how technology and green finance can tackle the continent’s environmental challenges.
Gerishom Manyengo, a business analyst at the Kenya Climate Innovation Center, praised Kenyan start-ups for leading in attracting investments and sharing best practices.
Henri Zietsman, senior start-up business development manager at AWS Startups, also commended AfricArena for spotlighting innovation hubs across Africa.
Four of the six winners were Kenyan, showcasing the nation’s growing influence in green tech. The event demonstrated that investment in Africa’s tech infrastructure is paying off, with local start-ups making significant strides in green technology solutions.