ColdHubs, a Nigerian startup that operates 100% solar-powered walk-in cold rooms and four other African startups have been selected for the final of Clima@ competition 2020.
The four other African startups include: Biodiesel Misr (Egypt), Coliba (Cote d’Ivoire), Lombrisol (Morrocco) and Ecodudu (Kenya).
These African startups will join 10 others from across the world on June 2nd in a virtual pitch event to choose the 2020 winners of the Clima@ Competition in the different categories who stand to get a share of 30,000 Euros.
The Green for Growth Fund (GGF) says they received 200 “impressive” applications, shortlisted 60, and chose 15 finalists.
These finalists will then pitch their businesses with pre-recorded videos to a panel of five jury members and an online audience, followed by a Q&A session.
The Clima@ competition is powered by Green for Growth Fund and it is a competition in search of out-of-box business ideas or projects that have the power to mitigate the effects of climate change and make a positive difference to the future of our environment.
Meet the African startups:
ColdHubs Ltd. is a social enterprise from Nigeria that designs, installs, commissions and operates 100% solar-powered walk-in cold rooms in outdoor markets and farm clusters. The ColdHubs, as the cold rooms are branded, are used by smallholder farmers, retailers and wholesalers to store and preserve fresh fruits, vegetables and other perishable foods 24/7, extending their shelf life from two to 21 days. This way ColdHubs is not just preserving food, but preventing it from turning into organic waste and causing emissions.
Biodiesel Misr (BDM) is a young Egyptian startup producing biodiesel from used cooking oil, thus contributing to achieving Sustainable Development Goals, climate change mitigation efforts and the circular economy in Africa. The company has a plant producing high-quality biodiesel 100% from used cooking oil collected locally as a feedstock.
COLIBA is a social enterprise from Côte d’Ivoire specializing in the collection and recycling of plastic waste using a web, mobile and SMS platform, which puts households and companies producing plastic waste in touch with affiliated collectors. In exchange for the plastic collected, households receive points convertible into internet data, a beauty product, and soon into basic food products. The plastic waste is recycled.
Lombrisol is a Moroccan- based biotechnology company that was founded based on scientific research. Lombrisol focuses on organic waste recycling using composting and vermicomposting technologies. Lombrisol aims to provide sustainable and environmentally friendly technology for organic waste recycling to produce biofertilizers for sustainable and organic farming.
Ecodudu is a Kenyan waste-to-value company which recycles organic waste into natural fertilizer, while using black soldier fly (BSF) larvae to produce high-protein animal and fish feed. Ecodudu has introduced a unique outgrower model that empowers smallholder farmers to recycle their own waste, produce organic fertilizer and generate additional income. Ecodudu also provides market access as well as affordable and qualitative fertilizers to smallholder farmers.
