Ten emerging African startups have been shortlisted as finalists for the Africa Climate Innovation Challenge (ACIC 2025), a platform designed to support youth-led solutions to climate and sustainability challenges. Taking place on 29 November 2025 in Kampala, Uganda, the final pitch event will award five winning ventures US$10,000 each, alongside access to mentorship and investors. The challenge underscores the growing role of young African innovators in advancing clean technologies, promoting circular economies and building communities that can adapt and thrive in a changing climate.
Empowering Young Innovators for Climate Impact
ACIC 2025, now in its fourth year, continues to focus on youth-led startups across Africa that tackle major environmental and climate challenges. The initiative seeks ventures that address issues such as plastic waste, food loss, energy access and biodiversity protection. From a field of 35 startups across 20 countries, ten finalists were selected to advance to the final pitch event in Kampala.
The program provides more than just competition. It offers seed funding, mentorship and connections to investors, equipping the startups to scale their solutions across communities and markets. By supporting young entrepreneurs, ACIC helps create a pathway for local innovation to generate measurable social and environmental impact while creating economic opportunities.
The initiative demonstrates that youth entrepreneurship can play a vital role in addressing Africa’s climate challenges. By combining creativity, technology and community leadership, the finalists are turning environmental problems into sustainable solutions that benefit both people and the planet.
The Finalists and Their Impact
The ten finalists showcase how innovative approaches can transform local challenges into climate opportunities:
- Eastern Freshaura (Ghana): Upcycles agricultural waste into natural coatings that extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables by up to 14 days. This reduces food losses, increases farmer incomes and lowers emissions from food waste.
- EcoFibre (Cameroon): Transforms banana waste into biodegradable paper and packaging, replacing single-use plastics and helping prevent deforestation.
- Greentech Bioenergy (Sierra Leone): Converts agricultural residues into clean bioenergy and biochar, reducing CO₂ emissions, improving soil fertility and providing sustainable energy solutions for rural areas.
- Helton Traders Limited (Uganda): Recycles over 12,000 kilograms of plastic waste into construction materials such as paving blocks and tiles, turning waste challenges into infrastructure opportunities.
- Jafife (Morocco): Uses smart solar dryers to reduce post-harvest food losses, strengthen food security and increase farmer incomes in rural communities.
- Pollen Patrollers (Kenya): Equips beekeepers with digital tools and training to improve pollination, increase agricultural yields and safeguard biodiversity, reaching over 3,000 active users.
- Rôbalôtô (Togo): Implements smart recycling systems in schools to tackle plastic pollution, turning waste into educational tools and solar-powered products while promoting climate awareness among youth.
- Sebio (Madagascar): Produces biodegradable sanitary pads from cyperus and banana fibers, supporting women’s health, reducing plastic waste and promoting sustainable consumption habits.
- Trashcoin (Nigeria): Has diverted over 2.5 million kilograms of waste from landfills through gamified recycling, allowing users to earn digital rewards while creating green jobs and reducing emissions from open burning.
- Zuripacks (Kenya): Replaces plastic packaging with plant-based alternatives, reducing pollution, conserving resources and improving climate resilience in flood-prone urban areas.
These startups illustrate that climate innovation and entrepreneurship can work together to generate economic, socia, and environmental benefits. The funding and support provided by ACIC will help the finalists scale their operations, reach new communities and strengthen their impact across Africa.
The ACIC 2025 final pitch event is more than a competition; it is a platform for African youth to turn climate challenges into business opportunities. Through innovation, technology and community engagement, the ten finalists are contributing to solutions that improve waste management, energy access, food security and biodiversity conservation. The five winning ventures will gain funding, mentorship and investor connections, but all ten will benefit from visibility and partnership opportunities to expand their solutions.
By empowering young entrepreneurs, ACIC demonstrates that Africa’s future climate resilience lies in the hands of its innovators.
