T he eight women-led enterprises announced as winners of the 2023 African Youth Adaptation Solutions Challenge (YouthADAPT Challenge) are a prime example of how investing in women accelerates progress. These women are pioneering Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies like artificial intelligence, big data analytics, and the Internet of Things to advance climate adaptation across Africa.

In 2023, the YouthADAPT Challenge aimed to bridge the gender gap in entrepreneurship by awarding female-led enterprises and providing them with $100,000 in grant funding and a 12-month accelerator program, which includes training, mentorship, and coaching for investor readiness.

The YouthADAPT Challenge is an annual competition and awards program for youth-led enterprises. The African Development Bank and the Global Center on Adaptation jointly organize the competition. Climate Investment Funds supports it as part of the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP). The African Development Bank’s Africa Climate Change Fund supported the 2023 edition of the YouthADAPT Challenge.