The winners./PHOTO; Courtesy
Five young entrepreneurs from across the continent have been named winners of the 2025 African Climate Innovation Challenge (ACIC), a programme designed to equip emerging innovators with funding, mentorship, and technical support to scale climate solutions.
The competition continues to grow as one of Africa’s leading platforms for nurturing early-stage green enterprises, especially those driven by youth determined to tackle the climate crisis with practical, community-focused innovations.
The winners were selected during the ACIC Startup Pitch Event held on November 29, 2025, at Hotel Africana in Kampala, Uganda.
The showcase marked the culmination of a year-long process that included calls for applications, selection of the 2025 cohort, a comprehensive business incubation curriculum, and a final round of jury evaluations.
This year’s finalists represented nine countries: Ghana, Nigeria, Madagascar, Uganda, Morocco, Sierra Leone, Togo, Cameroon, and Kenya, reflecting the depth of talent and diversity within Africa’s climate innovation ecosystem.
Hosted by the Green Africa Youth Organization (GAYO), Start.Up Lounge Africa (SLA), and 3 E’s 4 Africa e.V., the annual pitch event demonstrates the power of collaboration in driving sustainability efforts across the continent.
The ACIC has, over the years, gained a reputation as a catalyst for youth-led green innovation.
By intentionally targeting climate financing gaps and empowering young changemakers, the initiative aims to accelerate early-stage ideas that offer real-world environmental and economic benefits.
Through tailored incubation, peer mentorship, financial backing, and opportunities for continental exposure, ACIC continues to position African youth at the forefront of climate resilience and sustainable development.
This year’s winning innovations demonstrate the breadth of solutions emerging from young African entrepreneurs:
Jafife – Morocco
An agritech solution addressing food insecurity and methane emissions by providing farmers with smart solar dryers.
The technology reduces post-harvest losses, digitises supply chains, and connects farmers with processors, strengthening rural resilience amid climate-related challenges.
Helton Traders Limited – Uganda
A women-led social enterprise producing polyester sewing threads from post-consumer PET waste.
Operating through a closed-loop recycling model, the company supports more than 100 waste collectors, reduces reliance on imported threads, and contributes to sustainable manufacturing in East Africa.
Rôbalôtô – Togo
A school-based circular waste model using smart bins, student climate clubs, and local recycling to convert plastic waste into solar-powered bags.
The initiative reduces pollution, prevents harmful burning of plastics, and empowers young people as climate champions within their communities.
Zuripacks – Kenya
A sustainable packaging company creating plastic-free alternatives to reduce upstream emissions and minimise waste accumulation that worsens flooding in climate-vulnerable urban areas.
Trashcoin – Nigeria
A gamified recycling platform that rewards users with digital tokens for collecting plastic waste.
To date, the system has diverted more than 2.5 million kilograms of plastic from landfills and waterways, cutting emissions from open burning and creating green employment opportunities.
The challenge comes at a pivotal time for Africa’s climate ambitions.
Although the continent accounts for one-fifth of the global population, it attracts only 3% of worldwide energy investment, according to the International Energy Agency.
ACIC organisers note that this gap highlights the importance of supporting local innovators whose ideas can shape more sustainable, self-reliant futures.
As global focus increasingly turns to youth-led climate action, ACIC says it will continue championing young leaders whose solutions can deliver long-term, scalable impact across African communities.
