The African Climate Innovation Challenge (ACIC) 2024 concluded in Accra, Ghana, on December 12, 2024, with an exciting showcase of innovative climate solutions. From a highly competitive pool of 824 applications spanning 42 countries, two outstanding startups emerged as winners, each walking away with USD 10,000 to scale their groundbreaking innovations.

The event, organized by 3 E’s 4 Africa, Green Africa Youth Organization, and Start.Up Lounge Africa, underscored Africa’s role in addressing global climate challenges through localized and scalable solutions.

Meet the 2024 ACIC Winners

Green Tech Africa (Congo, Brazzaville)

Green Tech Africa is transforming invasive water hyacinth disrupts waterways across Africa, harming ecosystems, and biodiversity and exacerbating environmental degradation. Green Tech Africa’s KUKIA fiber repurposes water hyacinths into eco-friendly absorbents for cleaning petroleum pollutants and creating construction materials, generating jobs for over 700 community members, primarily women.

Farmer Lifeline (Kenya)

Farmer Lifeline tackles food insecurity and climate vulnerabilities faced by smallholder farmers. By leveraging solar-powered field devices for real-time pest and disease detection, they empower farmers to reduce crop losses, improve yields, and adopt sustainable agricultural practices. Their innovation directly supports climate adaptation and resilience in rural communities.

Spotlight on the Finalists

While Sagrisalma and Farmer Lifeline secured the top spots, the caliber of all finalists highlighted the depth of talent across the continent.

Other Finalists Included:

• Sagrisalma (Ghana): Revolutionizing agriculture by addressing soil degradation and reducing emissions.
• Ecores Agro Industries (Benin): Producing sustainable, biodegradable textile fibers from pineapple leaf waste.
• Biochar enrichi (Niger): Enriching soil fertility with biochar made from invasive plants to boost agricultural productivity and sequester carbon.
• Riwe (Nigeria): Providing automated, paperless climate insurance to protect farmers from risks with real-time risk assessment and rapid payouts.

Championing Africa’s Climate Future

ACIC 2024 reaffirmed the continent’s potential to drive impactful climate solutions. With a focus on youth-led initiatives, the challenge underscores the importance of empowering African innovators to tackle global climate challenges through ingenuity and resourcefulness.

As the winners and finalists continue their journey, they represent a beacon of hope and inspiration for the next generation of African climate leaders. Their work demonstrates the vital role of local innovation in shaping a sustainable future for Africa and the world.