Jacob’s Ladder Africa has celebrated innovation and sustainability during its highly anticipated Greenlabs Demo Day. The event showcased groundbreaking climate solutions developed by emerging entrepreneurs addressing East Africa’s pressing environmental challenges.
The Demo Day was the grand finale of the Powering Food Systems Innovation Challenge, a hackathon-style competition aimed at transforming food systems through renewable energy. Participants from 18 counties across Kenya presented creative ideas ranging from energy-efficient farming techniques to renewable-powered food processing, sustainable transportation, and smart waste reduction systems.
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“This program addresses youth unemployment by creating opportunities for young entrepreneurs through incubation,” said Karen Chelang’at, Chief Innovation Officer at Jacob’s Ladder Africa. “Startups often fail due to weak foundations and limited resources. Our goal is to equip these innovators with the skills they need to succeed.”
Among the innovations presented were Solar Compost IT, which converts organic waste into compost and biofertilizer while reducing methane emissions; NuRa, a clean energy solution that uses concentrated solar power to generate steam for large kitchens; Smart Hive Optimization, a solar-powered IoT sensor that monitors hive conditions; and TEAtrans, a solar-powered ventilated container that ensures fresh tea leaves.
The event’s expert judging panel included industry leaders such as Luiza Munyua of the African Union and Bilha Ndirangu, CEO of Great Carbon Valley. Judges evaluated solutions based on scalability, innovation and impact on women and youth.
The top prizes recognized exceptional innovation. Urbanus Lubano of Empire Innovations won the top prize of Ksh 200,000 for agricultural machinery powered by renewable energy. Second place went to Solar Nest which presented advanced solar tracking for poultry farming. Bettinah Maruti of iLoop KE took third place with her solution to reduce food spoilage in low-income areas.
All finalists were sponsored to participate in the nine-month Greenlabs incubation program, which provides mentorship, networking opportunities and industry exposure.
Jacob’s Ladder Africa remains committed to fostering innovation, empowering entrepreneurs, and promoting sustainable solutions for Africa’s future.
