GCA and KCIC Launch Landmark YouthADAPT Challenge to Power Youth-Led Climate Solutions Across Africa
The Programme aims to identify, fund and scale 100 youth-led enterprises in Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ghana and Nigeria, with each winning venture receiving $30,000 to address documented, country-specific adaptation needs.
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AIROBI, Kenya, 9 July 2025 – The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA), the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Kenya Climate Innovation Center (KCIC) today announced a strategic partnership to launch the In-Country YouthADAPT Challenge, a flagship under the African Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP). By mobilizing private-sector capital and nurturing grassroots innovation, this initiative will identify, incubate and scale 100 youth-led enterprises offering tangible climate-adaptation solutions—ultimately creating green jobs and driving resilience across the continent.
Applications open July 14 and close August 1, 2025, inviting entrepreneurs aged 18–35 in Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ghana and Nigeria to submit bold ideas that address pressing, locally documented adaptation needs in critical sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure, livestock and urban mobility. Grounded in the latest World Meteorological Organization and UNEP Adaptation Gap findings, the YouthADAPT Challenge moves beyond generic calls for action to target opportunities backed by rigorous, country-level assessments.
“Africa is at the epicenter of the global climate crisis, but it is also a hub of innovation and determination, led by its dynamic youth,” said Professor PatrickV. Verkooijen, President and CEO of the Global Center on Adaptation. “Through AAAP, our partnership with the AfDB has to date shaped over $17 billion for adaptation across 40 countries. The YouthADAPT Challenge channels that momentum into evidence-informed, bankable opportunities—turning urgent needs into viable, scalable businesses.”
An Evidence-Informed Approach: Targeting Specific Adaptation Needs
A comprehensive Climate Adaptation Needs Assessment across the five countries has pinpointed priority areas for innovation:
- Tanzania: Climate-resilient irrigation solutions such as solar-powered pumps and digital advisory services offering real-time weather and market data for farmers.
- Kenya: Resilience in agriculture and road infrastructure, with emphasis on livestock protection and mobile early-warning systems in the Lesseru-Kitale and Morpus-Lokichar corridors.
- Rwanda: Post-harvest loss reduction, smart irrigation and climate-proof transport infrastructure against heat stress and landslides, particularly around Kigali.
- Ghana: Innovations for the tree-crop sector—cocoa, cashew and shea—including drought-tolerant varieties, adaptive drainage systems and localized decision-support tools for farmers.
- Nigeria: Climate-resilient animal shelters, sustainable water-access systems for livestock and digital platforms for animal health and rangeland management.
A Comprehensive Programme for Enterprise Strengthening
From an anticipated pool of over 500 applicants, 100 high-potential MSMEs (20 per country) will be shortlisted to participate in an investor-readiness bootcamp that refines their business models, financial projections and investor pitches. Country-level “Dragon’s Den” pitch events will connect entrepreneurs with domestic banks, venture capitalists and angel investors. Ten winners—two per country—will each receive a $30,000 funding package ($10,000 grant plus $20,000 in de-risking support) to accelerate growth and will be invited to showcase their solutions at COP30 as part of the YouthADAPT Alumni Network.
For KCIC, the YouthADAPT Challenge marks a pivotal step in its evolution from a national hub to a Pan-African catalyst for climate entrepreneurship. “This evidence-based, needs-first model is the blueprint for our continental expansion,” said Joseph Murabula, KCIC CEO. “By aligning youth-led innovation with documented priorities, we are building replicable pathways to resilient, impact-driven enterprises across Africa.”
Young innovators in the five countries are encouraged to prepare their applications now. Detailed eligibility and submission guidelines are available at gca.org/youthadapt and kenyacic.org/youthadapt.
Notes to Editors
About the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA)
The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) is an international organization that promotes adaptation to the impacts of climate change. It works to climate-proof development by instigating policy reforms and influencing investments made by international financial institutions and the private sector. The goal is to bring climate adaptation to the forefront of the global fight against climate change and ensure that it remains prominent. Founded in 2018, GCA embodies innovation in its approach to climate adaptation as well as in its physical presence. It operates from the largest floating office in the world, in Rotterdam, the Netherlands and is currently building a new headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. This will make GCA the first international organization to maintain dual headquarters in both the Global North and South—underscoring the equal partnership between both regions and recognizing that climate adaptation solutions must be co-designed and co-owned. GCA has a worldwide network of regional offices in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire; Dhaka, Bangladesh; and Beijing, China.
About the Kenya Climate Innovation Center (KCIC)
The Kenya Climate Innovation Center (KCIC) is a leading organization in Africa providing incubation, capacity building, and financing to enterprises and entrepreneurs in the green economy. With a new Pan-African mandate, KCIC is dedicated to catalyzing climate entrepreneurship across the continent to build sustainable enterprises and resilient communities.
