African Youth Adaptation Solutions Challenge
T he African Youth Adaptation Solutions Challenge (YouthADAPT Challenge) is an annual competition and awards program for youth-led enterprises jointly organized by the African Development Bank, Global Center on Adaptation, and Climate Investment Funds as part of the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program YouthADAPT flagship pillar. The challenge seeks to boost sustainable job creation through support for entrepreneurship and youth-led innovation in climate change adaptation and resilience across Africa. The competition invites young entrepreneurs and Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises in Africa to submit innovative solutions and business ideas that can drive climate change adaptation and resilience.
The YouthADAPT Challenge’s third edition is supported by the Africa Climate Change Fund (ACCF). This year’s focus is on female-owned enterprises pioneering Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies such as Artificial Intelligence; big data analytics; virtual reality; robotics; Internet of Things (IoT); quantum computing; additive manufacturing; blockchain and fifth-generation wireless for climate adaptation.
Meet the 2023 Winners of the YouthADAPT Solutions Challenge
Beth Koigi
Kenya
Majik Water Technologies Ltd pioneers atmospheric water harvesting, providing vital water resources to drought-stricken farming communities in Kenya.
Daniella Ushindi Viruvuswagha
Democratic Republic of the Congo
ETS Chemchem Agro‘s ApiConnect app that employs Machine Learning for strategic beehive placement, significantly boosting honey production in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Deborah Nzarubara
Democratic Republic of the Congo
ETS Grecom leverages big data to provide real-time weather data, bolstering agricultural productivity and supporting pollinating bees for sustainable farming practices.
Eddah Wanjiru
Kenya
Arinifu Technologies Ltd’s Smart Brooder & Kuku Smart innovation utilizes Internet of Things technology, offering poultry solutions and operational insights, benefitting Kenya’s farming community.
Fatoumata Diaby
Mali
Jeune Agro-Innovatour‘s E-Compost software transforms invasive water hyacinth into premium compost, championing sustainable agricultural practices.
Lucy Wangari
Kenya
Onion Doctor Limited uses the Internet of Things (IoT) and machine learning to monitor onion crops, optimizing sustainability and profitability for Kenyan farmers.
Mirriam Chapi
Zambia
Chapi Core Tech‘s EaseOn Track app has empowered over 5,000 women farmers, facilitating clean energy adoption and enhancing agricultural output.
Stephanie Meltus
Nigeria
Green Eden Farms utilizes Scaregrow technology to offer real-time insights, enhancing productivity and resilience in Nigerian agriculture.
What is in store for winning enterprises
- US$100,000 in grants to scale their venture
- Tailored business development services to elevate their climate solutions and generate green jobs
- One-year accelerator program to amplify their impact
- Mentorship and coaching
- Joining the coveted YouthADAPT Alumni Network
- Creating new partnerships and sharing knowledge
2021 YouthADAPT Winner Carolyne Mwangi talks about how her company, Kimplanter Seedlings and Nurseries Ltd., has been able to expand the range of climate-resilient seedlings they offer farmers thanks to the challenge. Find out more
2021 YouthADAPT Winner Juveline Ngum Ngwa shares how her enterprise, Bleaglee Waste Management, is using drones and working with waste collectors to reduce waste and flood risk for urban communities in Cameroon. Find out more
Eligibility criteria
- Have a 2-year-old growth-stage, women-owned businesses with innovative Fourth Industrial Revolution solutions ethically impacting climate adaptation at scale
- Must be aged 18-35 on the day of submission
- Hold nationality (with official ID) from any of the 54 nations of Africa
- Be the founder/co-founder of the enterprise and play an active role in its operations and leadership
- No criminal record related to corruption, tax evasion, financial impropriety, felony or other offenses
2021 YouthADAPT Winner Rejoice Amarachi Usim shares how the challenge has allowed her to help more smallholder farmers in Nigeria adopt climate-smart cultivation techniques like vertical sack farming. Find out more
2021 YouthADAPT Winner Matiedje Nkenmayi Gislaine explains how winning the challenge helped her expand her support for the production of African Indigenous Vegetables through greenhouse technology and irrigation systems. Find out more
Overview of the YouthADAPT Challenge
The African Youth Adaptation Solutions Challenge is implemented in two phases as follows:
Phase 1: Pre-Accelerator
- Call for applications: An Africa-wide call for target participants to submit their applications.
- Application Evaluation and Winner Selection: A thorough, multi-faceted evaluation process, including evaluations by a jury of experienced business and climate adaptation experts.
Phase 2: Accelerator Program
- Gap Analysis: Examine the status of the selected enterprises with the intention of identifying challenges and critical areas for potential intervention.
- Business Development Services: Provide business management, technical skills, and competencies to enhance the scalability of the enterprises. This includes market development and business training for these adaptation-focused entrepreneurs.
- Mentoring: Sustainably improve and support the businesses to grow and expand with the support of mentors who are experienced entrepreneurs across various sectors.
- Grant disbursement: Disburse the $100,000 grant to support their short-term growth and link them to potential investors for longer-term growth
Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program
The Global Center on Adaptation and the African Development Bank Group are jointly implementing a strategic partnership, the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP), aimed at mobilizing US$25 billion to scale up and accelerate climate change adaptation actions across Africa.
Youth Entrepreneurship and Adaptation Jobs is one of the four pillars of the AAAP. The objective of this pillar is to prepare a new generation of African youth for the transition towards green and climate-resilient development, as well as to combat poverty and improve the quality of life for young people in Africa. The pillar aims to promote innovation and inclusive growth for youth in climate-resilient jobs by developing skills and knowledge on adaptation, building the entrepreneurial capacity of African youth, and facilitating access to funding and mentorship to youth-led and women-led businesses in the adaptation space.