Jacob’s Ladder Africa’s greenlabs showcased an inspiring array of climate solutions during its highly anticipated Demo Day, held on January 24, 2025. The event marked the culmination of the Powering Food Systems Innovation Challenge. This groundbreaking program brought together emerging green entrepreneurs dedicated to reimagining Africa’s food systems through the transformative power of renewable energy.
This year’s Demo Day celebrated the bold ideas and innovative solutions generated through an intensive hackathon. Designed to inspire young entrepreneurs, the Powering Food Systems Innovation Challenge tackled pressing issues around how renewable energy can revolutionize food systems from production to consumption.
Finalist teams were drawn from various counties across Kenya, namely, Baringo, Busia, Homa Bay, Kajiado, Kiambu, Kisii, Kisumu, Lamu, Machakos, Makueni, Meru, Mombasa, Nakuru, Nyeri, Tranza Nzoia, Turkana, Uasin Gishu and Nairobi to present their innovative and scalable ideas. These startups benefited from mentorship and capacity-building sessions leading up to the Demo Day, equipping them with the skills and insights needed to navigate the rigorous selection process and deliver compelling pitches.
Some of the innovations showcased included Solar Compost IT, an in-vessel composting machine that transforms organic waste into compost, bio-fertilizer, and pellets, reducing methane emissions and decomposition time; NuRa, a clean, renewable innovation that harnesses concentrated solar power, CSP to generate steam, to power large-scale kitchens; Smart Hive Optimization, a solar-powered IoT sensor that tracks hive conditions, and TEAtrans, a solar-powered ventilated container equipped with fans to provide continuous airflow immediately the tea leaves are plucked, among others.
The event also featured an expert judging panel of industry leaders, including Luiza Munyua, Sr. Scientific Officer, African Union; Omondi Kasidhi, Senior Manager, Digital Growth & Commercialization – Africa Yara International; Mutembei Kariuki, Co-Founder & CEO, Fastagger; Ann Ichungwa, Founder, GAK Advisory; Bilha Ndirangu, CEO, Great Carbon Valley and Sharon Olende, Trade & Working Capital Finance, Churpy Inc., who evaluated the finalists’ solutions and selected the winners. The Demo Day concluded with an award ceremony celebrating the ingenuity and efforts of the participants with part of the main considerations for selection being the solution’s impact on women and youth.
Monetary prizes ranged from Ksh 10,000 to Ksh 200,000 in pre-seed capital, with the grand prize winner, Empire Innovations Limited, taking home an impressive Ksh 200,000. Beyond these prizes, all finalists secured full sponsorship to join the nine-month greenlabs incubation program. This program offers comprehensive support, including green entrepreneurship training, tailored mentorship, networking opportunities, and direct engagement with industry experts.
As Africa’s population continues to grow, so does the demand for food—placing immense pressure on our land and natural resources. However, rapid urbanization is shrinking available farmland, forcing agriculture to produce more from less. While intensive farming methods have helped meet today’s nutritional needs, they come at a cost: soil degradation, declining fertility, water pollution, and a weakening ecosystem. If left unchecked, these challenges will not only threaten future food security but also accelerate climate change.
By empowering young entrepreneurs to address critical challenges in food systems and energy access, the program aligns with regional and global sustainability goals. As the curtains closed on the 2025 Demo Day, one message was clear: the future of Africa’s food systems is in capable, innovative hands.
