At COP30, the 2025 In-Country YouthADAPT Challenge unveiled its 10 finalists, highlighting the next generation of African entrepreneurs creating practical solutions for climate adaptation and resilience. The finalists come from Kenya, Rwanda, Nigeria, Ghana and Tanzania, representing youth-led enterprises addressing critical issues such as food security and resilient infrastructure across the continent. The challenge, led by the Global Center on Adaptation under the African Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP) and implemented by the Kenya Climate Innovation Center (KCIC), provides funding, mentorship and acceleration support to help these innovators scale their impact and build a more resilient Africa.
Each winning enterprise will receive $30,000 in grants and de-risking investment support, a 12-month acceleration program, mentorship and access to networks of investors and partners. The announcement at COP30 underscores the critical role of young innovators in leading locally-driven climate adaptation initiatives and shaping sustainable futures for African communities.
Young Innovators Creating Local Climate Solutions
The YouthADAPT Challenge finalists represent a wide range of innovative approaches to climate resilience.
In Kenya, Kelvin Mulama, founder of Shop Okoa, is leveraging machine learning, AI and cloud-based technologies to create highly scalable solutions that empower communities and protect the environment. With experience working with the World Bank, UN-Habitat and Safaricom, Kelvin’s projects focus on developing decentralized finance systems and technology-driven startups that have social and environmental impact on a global scale.
Also from Kenya, Joan Watheri of Yatta Beekeepers Limited is promoting apiculture among youth and women to create sustainable livelihoods. Through training, workshops and value addition for bee products, her enterprise improves income generation in rural communities while creating networks of registered bee farmers to enhance agricultural productivity and community engagement.
In Rwanda, Kevine Kagirimpundu co-founded UZURI K&Y, a sustainable footwear brand that repurposes used car tires into eco-friendly shoes. The business addresses environmental pollution from discarded tires while tackling youth unemployment. The company also provides skills training for young people, particularly women, preparing them for employment or entrepreneurship. Similarly, Umutoniwase Anitha, a renewable energy entrepreneur, focuses on clean cooking technologies to ensure safe, affordable and efficient cooking solutions in Rwanda and humanitarian settings.
Nigeria is represented by Ruth Ede, founder of Scratop Nigeria Limited, which converts biowaste into biofertilizers to support sustainable farming and reduce reliance on synthetic fertilizers. Her company empowers farmers to grow safe and nutritious crops while promoting environmental preservation. Another Nigerian finalist, Boluwatife Arewa of Scrapays, merges technology and finance to create a digital recycling platform that facilitates recovery of recyclable materials, enabling individuals and businesses to earn from waste while contributing to circular economies.
Ghanaian finalists include Mabruka Hamza Mogtari, founder of Influx Groundnut and Spill Sheabutter, who promotes women’s empowerment, sustainable agriculture and fair trade through cultivation and processing of groundnuts and shea butter. Elijah Amoo Addo, founder of Food for All Africa, works to reduce food waste by redistributing surplus food from restaurants, farms and distributors to vulnerable communities, while advocating for systemic improvements in post-harvest management.
From Tanzania, Diana Orembe leads NovFeed, a blue biotech company producing protein on laboratory plates to avoid overfishing and promote sustainable feed. Her initiatives address food security, women’s empowerment and biotech innovation. Musa Mishamo, founder of Rada 360 Limited, develops space-based technologies for precision agriculture, disaster management and natural resource monitoring, providing data-driven solutions to climate challenges across the continent.
Together, these young entrepreneurs are leveraging technology, sustainable practices and community-focused models to strengthen Africa’s climate resilience while creating jobs and promoting inclusive economic growth.
Accelerating Youth-Led Climate Innovation
The YouthADAPT Challenge not only provides funding but also offers mentorship, capacity building and access to global networks, enabling young innovators to scale solutions locally and regionally. Implemented by KCIC, the program focuses on clean energy, water, waste management, commercial forestry and agribusiness to address climate adaptation challenges in Africa.
Through this initiative, young entrepreneurs are transforming local problems into opportunities. Whether it is converting waste into biofertilizers, creating sustainable fashion, promoting electric mobility or producing lab-grown protein, these startups are examples of practical, scalable solutions that strengthen communities against climate risks.
The program also emphasizes the importance of partnerships. Collaborating with public and private sector actors ensures that solutions are sustainable, integrated into policy frameworks and supported by infrastructure that allows them to grow. The Global Center on Adaptation serves as a solutions broker, connecting innovators to expertise, investors and networks to maximize impact.
By focusing on youth-led innovation, the challenge highlights the potential of Africa’s young population to lead the continent toward climate-resilient development. Supporting these enterprises not only advances adaptation goals but also fosters social inclusion, gender equality and economic empowerment, all of which are essential for sustainable growth.
As these 10 finalists move forward, they will receive technical assistance, investment guidance and acceleration support to expand their operations and reach more communities. Their projects demonstrate that African youth can design, implement and scale solutions that address some of the most pressing climate and environmental challenges on the continent.
