GrowthAfrica

📢 CALLING ALL DIGITAL AND GREEN INNOVATORS Are you a startup in Kenya, Uganda or Ethiopia using digital or green tech to solve climate, energy, food or waste challenges? Apply for the Challenger Digital and Green Acceleration Programme. WHAT THE PROGRAMME OFFERS You will gain access to: ✔️ Practical business acceleration ✔️ Expert mentorship ✔️ Investor readiness and connections ✔️ Market and visibility opportunities ✔️ Seed funding and international exposure WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR We are calling for early-stage, for-profit startups that are: ✅ Registered and operational in Kenya, Ethiopia or Uganda ✅ Building digital solutions that contribute to environmental sustainability, climate adaptation, or circular innovation ✅ At the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) or early-revenue stage ✅ Led by at least two active co-founders ✅ Demonstrating growth potential and clear market traction ✅ Inclusive, with preference for youth- and women-led enterprises AREAS OF INNOVATION WE SUPPORT The programme is open to ventures using technology to solve challenges in areas such as: 1️⃣ Climate-smart agriculture and food systems 2️⃣ Renewable energy and clean technologies 3️⃣ Circular economy and waste management 4️⃣ Water management and conservation 5️⃣ Green mobility and logistics 6️⃣ Digital financial inclusion and green finance 7️⃣ Environmental data and citizen engagement Key information: ✔️ Applications close: 10 Nov 2025 ✔️ Start date: Early December ✔️ Duration: 7-9 months ✔️ Opportunity: 3 selected startups will pitch at Latitude59 Kenya and Latitude59 Estonia with the potential to receive seed funding ✔️ Submit your application through http://bit.ly/4nlPtgr Read more about the programme here: https://lnkd.in/dfGcak9E Delivered by Civitta in collaboration with GrowthAfrica, mLab Southern Africa, Latitude59, and Startup Wise Guys. The Digital and Green Innovation Action is co-funded by the participating Team Europe partners (Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Estonia) and the European Commission. Photo credit: ECO-PRINTS GENERATION Maciej Nowak, Reesi Lepa, Harri Tallinn, Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV), Harri Tallinn, Katrin Winter, Kristel Rillo, Patricia Jumi, European Commission, Linda Mathenge

GRATITUDE IN CIRCLES ♻️ The Circular Economy Innovation Cluster Connect Forum 2025 reminded us that collaboration truly powers circular change.   A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us; entrepreneurs, partners, investors, and ecosystem builders for making the day an incredible celebration of innovation, inclusion, and impact.   Your energy, curiosity, and commitment to reimagining how we use, reuse, and renew resources made this gathering a movement in motion.   A special appreciation goes to our panel of judges who brought depth, insight, and thoughtful challenge to the venture pitches: 👏 Benson Njiru, Managing Partner & CFO, ShEquity 👏 Jane Mbinya Muia, Senior Investment Officer, Afrishela 👏 Dennis Ngure, Investment Manager, Yunus Social Business 👏 Naomi G., Sustainability & ESG Consultant, Geo-Mano Consultancy   Your perspectives helped spotlight ventures that are not only commercially viable but socially inclusive and environmentally sustainable embodying the very essence of circular entrepreneurship.   Thank you for helping shine a light on entrepreneurs redefining value for people and the planet.   What moment or venture stood out most for you at the CEIC Connect Forum 2025? James Kitavi, Mary Nyambura, Amos Njiraini, Dennis Bett, Christine Muriuki, Nicholas Ndekei, Dafford Owino, Obama Joseph, Chris Roe, Emily Amann, Silvia Doglioni, Henriëtte de Wit, Carla Alvial Palavicino, Eva Ros, Bennit Odhiambo, Maureen Wachira, Duncan Asila Amuko M.B.A., Hildah Mugambi, Linda Mathenge, Patricia Jumi, Sheila Mumbi, Joyce Nyoro, Samuel Maangi, Modechai Metternich, Nyandia Kamawe, Gloria Kisilu, Charles Kanyoi, Miraj Shah, Dennis Muriithi, Derrick Ngigi, HSC, Janerose Gatobu, Ida Sarup Kjelsgaard

A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THE CIRCULARS What does it take to turn circular ambition into systemic transformation? Nairobi’s most promising circular economy entrepreneurs gathered for the Circular Economy Innovation Cluster (CEIC) Connect Forum 2025 hosted by GrowthAfrica and Climate KIC, in partnership with the Nairobi Climate Network. From ventures redefining waste as a resource to those embedding social inclusion into business models, the forum showcased a thriving movement that’s reshaping how we think about value. This was a celebration of systems thinking in action and a reflection of how far Nairobi’s circular ecosystem has come. FROM VENTURES TO SYSTEM CHANGE Over the past three years, the CEIC programme led by GrowthAfrica, Climate KIC, and SecondMuse, and funded by the IKEA Foundation has worked to do more than accelerate start-ups. It has built an innovation cluster: a living ecosystem of entrepreneurs, enterprise support organisations (ESOs), investors, and policymakers collaborating to make circularity not just possible, but practical and profitable. “In Nairobi, entrepreneurs are reimagining what’s possible in systems built for linear economies,” said Patricia Jumi, Managing Director & Co-Founder, GrowthAfrica. “True transformation happens when ESOs, investors, and policymakers work together that’s when system change becomes possible.” LAUNCHING THE CIRCULAR VENTURE BLUEPRINT A key highlight was the launch of the Circular Venture Blueprint: ESO Principles, a practical guide co-created by 14 organisations across Bengaluru and Nairobi to strengthen support for circular ventures. It outlines three principles: building tailored circular capacities, fostering real ecosystem connections, and turning monitoring into support. As Emily Amann, Entrepreneurship Programmes Manager at ClimateKIC, shared: “Circular ventures require different support systems and investment strategies to pivot and scale. The Circular Venture Blueprint is a collaborative guide grounded in hands-on experience and real ecosystem learning.”  👉 Download the Circular Venture Blueprint: https://bit.ly/432vWdt CELEBRATING IMPACT AND INCLUSION The Forum also recognised ventures leading with purpose and inclusion. The judges (Benson Njiru, Jane Mbinya Muia, Dennis Ngure and Naomi G.) listened keenly to all the pitches, asked vital questions, and deliberated on ventures that embody innovation and social equity. 👏 AWARD WINNERS Kiseki Limited, Deed Technologies, Eco_charge Limited, Rware Waste Dealers, Crofts Ltd, and MokoMaya Home Décor received the Social Inclusion Awards, selected by the judges for their outstanding innovation and social impact.  Harcourt Agri-Eco Farm, The Shaba , and HuskiPlast Solutions were honoured with the Audience Choice Awards, recognised by fellow attendees for their inspiring pitches. How can we strengthen circular ecosystems? Share your thoughts.

PRINTING A CLEANER FUTURE What if plastic waste could build knowledge, not landfills? In Kenya’s coastal region, ECO-PRINTS GENERATION is rewriting the story of waste and proving that innovation can be both technological and transformative. By repurposing plastic waste into 3D printing filament, the enterprise produces educational models for schools, turning marine pollution into tools for learning. Their process begins with community cleanups, often led by students, and ends in classrooms where those same learners see waste transformed into value; a powerful cycle of awareness, responsibility, and innovation. Their pioneering work has even caught the attention of BBC News, which spotlighted how their technology is transforming ocean-bound  plastic into educational resources that inspire change. “The Circular Economy ClimAccelerator programme helped us structure our business and align it with our purpose,” shares Gabriel. “We learned how to run a business that not only makes money but also contributes positively to the environment.” Through the Circular Economy ClimAccelerator in Nairobi, implemented by GrowthAfrica in partnership with Climate KIC and funded by the IKEA Foundation, Eco Print Generation has built strong business foundations, refined its purpose, and identified scalable pathways for impact. Their journey is proof that circular entrepreneurship is not just about recycling materials, it’s about recycling mindsets. 3 reasons to watch ECO-PRINTS GENERATION: Tech meets purpose: Turning plastic pollution into 3D-printed tools for education and awareness. Mindset shift in motion: Inspiring young learners to see waste as opportunity, not burden. Structured for scale: Building a purpose-driven enterprise ready to grow and create long-term environmental impact. From waste to wisdom, Eco Print Generation is proving that innovation, when rooted in purpose, changes communities, mindsets, and the planet. View their amazing work here: https://lnkd.in/df22RkKX  James Kitavi, Mary Nyambura, Amos Njiraini, Dennis Bett, Christine Muriuki, Nicholas Ndekei, Dafford Owino, Obama Joseph, Chris Roe, Emily Amann, Silvia Doglioni, Henriëtte de Wit, Carla Alvial Palavicino, Eva Ros, Bennit Odhiambo, Maureen Wachira, Duncan Asila Amuko M.B.A., Hildah Mugambi, Linda Mathenge, Patricia Jumi

SAME SCRIPT, NEW CAST Across Africa’s innovation and entrepreneurship landscape, similar challenges keep resurfacing; access to markets, weak systems, limited capacity, and fragmented coordination. Yet, instead of consolidating existing solutions, many actors respond in isolation, designing new pilots that address the same problems in slightly different ways. STRUCTURAL, NOT PERSONAL The biggest barriers facing our ecosystems are rarely a reflection of personal failure or lack of effort; they are structural. As Ian Lorenzen, Executive Director and Partner at GrowthAfrica reminds us, fragmented infrastructure, short-term funding cycles, and the constant pressure to appear unique often drive organisations to rebuild solutions that already exist elsewhere. What begins as an attempt to innovate can unintentionally deepen silos, resulting in scattered impact and wasted resources. LEARNING LOOPS, NOT BLIND SPOTS Real progress depends less on certainty and more on curiosity, on the willingness to share what didn’t work as openly as what did. When failure becomes a collective resource instead of an individual burden, the ecosystem learns faster and wastes less energy repeating mistakes. However, most spaces still reward polished success stories rather than honest reflection. PROTOTYPING COLLABORATION Collaboration should not be postponed until scale is achieved; it must begin with small, tangible experiments that reveal what alignment looks like in practice. Co-designing pilots, testing shared service models, or pooling data and resources can help identify what works collectively before large-scale coordination is attempted. By treating collaboration itself as something to prototype, organisations can move from abstract partnerships to evidence-based cooperation. LEADING FROM WITHIN Although funders often call for collaboration, waiting for them to initiate it risks surrendering the agency and creativity that local actors already possess. True leadership means curating our own coalitions, investing time and resources to align around shared objectives before external support arrives. When collaboration is driven from within, it carries authenticity and demonstrates commitment, signalling to funders and investors that the groundwork for collective success is already in motion. THE COLLECTIVE TURN The question facing us today is no longer who will lead, but who is willing to commit. Africa’s next phase of growth will not be built through isolated brilliance but through shared design, where ecosystems learn to build once, build better, and build together. Johnni Kjelsgaard, Patricia Jumi

📢 CALLING ALL DIGITAL AND GREEN INNOVATORS Are you a Kenyan, Ethiopian and Ugandan startups driving sustainable digital solutions that advance sustainability and climate resilience. The Digital and Green Innovation Acceleration Programme is for you. WHAT THE PROGRAMME OFFERS You will gain access to: ✔️ Practical business acceleration ✔️ Expert mentorship ✔️ Investor readiness and connections ✔️ Market and visibility opportunities ✔️ Seed funding and international exposure WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR We are calling for early-stage, for-profit startups that are: ✅ Registered and operational in Kenya, Ethiopia or Uganda ✅ Building digital solutions that contribute to environmental sustainability, climate adaptation, or circular innovation ✅ At the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) or early-revenue stage ✅ Led by at least two active co-founders ✅ Demonstrating growth potential and clear market traction ✅ Inclusive, with preference for youth- and women-led enterprises AREAS OF INNOVATION WE SUPPORT The programme is open to ventures using technology to solve challenges in areas such as: 1️⃣ Climate-smart agriculture and food systems 2️⃣ Renewable energy and clean technologies 3️⃣ Circular economy and waste management 4️⃣ Water management and conservation 5️⃣ Green mobility and logistics 6️⃣ Digital financial inclusion and green finance 7️⃣ Environmental data and citizen engagement Key information: ✔️ Applications close: 10 Nov 2025 ✔️ Start date: Early December ✔️ Submit your application through http://bit.ly/4nlPtgr Read more about the programme here: https://lnkd.in/dfGcak9E Delivered by Civitta in collaboration with GrowthAfrica, mLab Southern Africa, Latitude59, and Startup Wise Guys. The Digital and Green Innovation Action is co-funded by the participating Team Europe partners (Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Estonia) and the European Commission.

AFRICA’S CLIMATE FUTURE As the world looks to Africa for climate innovation, how do we safeguard local ownership while scaling global impact? Over three transformative days, leaders, innovators, investors, and entrepreneurs converged for the Africa Climate Investment Summit (ACIS 2025), a gathering dedicated to aligning ambition and action for a climate-resilient future. From the Youth ADAPT Challenge Demo Day and Cleantech Competition to investor dialogues and leadership roundtables, the summit showcased Africa not just as a continent in need of solutions, but as a source of them. Entrepreneurs from across the region presented innovations in clean energy, smart agriculture, waste management, and nature-based solutions, demonstrating that Africa’s green transition is already underway. BUILDING A RESILIENT, LOW-CARBON AFRICA This year’s summit called for a bold reframing of climate investment, one that recognises Africa’s agency, context, and capacity. Key insights emerged across the sessions: ➡️ African-born solutions drive global resilience. Africa’s innovators are designing for their realities; scalable, frugal, and deeply rooted in community. ➡️ Investment must be viable, not just possible. MSMEs need more than enabling environments, they need incentives like credit access, risk mitigation, and fair trade systems that make climate enterprise sustainable. ➡️ Standards are gateways to growth. Strengthening sustainability and quality compliance will unlock export markets and attract international climate finance. ➡️ Collaboration is the new infrastructure. Cross-border policies, aligned capital, and shared platforms will turn isolated projects into continental impact. REFLECTING FORWARD ACIS 2025 reaffirmed a vital truth: Africa’s green economy will be shaped not only by global capital but by local conviction. The summit underscored the need to invest in the people and enterprises already driving climate-smart transformation, ensuring their ideas move from pilot to policy, and from concept to capital. How can we ensure that Africa’s climate innovations remain locally owned, even as global partnerships expand? Photo credit: Africa Climate Investment Summit Wanjiru K., Milkaela .M. Mwangura, Muema Wambua, PhD, Michael N. Njane, Robert Munene Kiarie, Joshua Moilo, Ernest Chitechi, Queen L'ombaka, ACIM, B Muvea

ROUNDING UP IMPACT Supporting circular economy ventures requires different approaches than traditional start-ups. This means the Entrepreneurship Support Organisations (ESOs) helping them scale need a specialised understanding of circular business models, impact measurement, and market dynamics. That's why we're excited to share the Circular Venture Blueprint: A guide for entrepreneurship support organisations co-created by 14 leading organisations from Bengaluru and Nairobi through the Circular Economy Innovation Cluster, led by Climate KIC, GrowthAfrica, and SecondMuse. What you'll get: ✔️ Frameworks for evaluating circular business models ✔️ Tools for measuring environmental and social impact ✔️ Strategies for supporting ventures working with informal workers ✔️ Case studies from different ecosystems ✔️ Methodologies for learning and collaboration What makes it different: Co-created through collaborative problem-solving, drawing from real experience supporting circular ventures. The result: practical guidance you can use immediately. Whether you're just starting your circular economy journey or strengthening existing programmes, this blueprint provides the framework, tools, and peer network to support circular ventures effectively. 👉 Download the Circular Venture Blueprint: https://bit.ly/432vWdt  Funded by the IKEA Foundation BuzzOnEarth, ANDE East and Southeast Asia, Bopinc, exneco, International Council for Circular Economy, Kenya Climate Innovation Center (KCIC), Kilimani Community Foundation, Nairobi Climate Network, Seedstars, TechnoServe, Yunus Environment Hub

DANGER OF SELECTIVE STORYTELLING “You’re only telling the things that are great and minimising the things that are not so great.” This candid insight from Marieke Geurts, Investment Director at Amethis, captures one of the biggest challenges facing African entrepreneurs today selective storytelling. Many founders highlight wins but hide weaknesses, yet transparency is what truly builds investor trust. Honesty builds investor confidence In today’s investment environment: ✔️ Credibility is currency. Investors no longer seek perfect stories they seek founders who understand their risks and are prepared to address them. ✔️ When entrepreneurs gloss over challenges, it signals either a lack of understanding or unwillingness to face reality. ✔️ A balanced pitch one that outlines both achievements and hurdles signals maturity, competence, and readiness for partnership. The investment map is shifting The regional investment landscape in East and Southern Africa is evolving. Markets once viewed as complex are gaining traction, while others are cooling. Tanzania, once considered difficult for business, is now drawing renewed investor interest, with growing optimism across sectors. Meanwhile, Ethiopia once the region’s “big promise” has seen momentum slow. This shift underscores the importance of adaptability. Entrepreneurs who build flexible, resilient businesses are better positioned to thrive, no matter where investor sentiment moves. From boundless growth to strategic scaling Investors are becoming more selective. The focus has moved from chasing infinite growth to building structured, strategic scale. As Geurts notes, “We’re not looking for businesses trying to scale in 30 countries at once. We want those that can be market leaders in an attractive industry and can show growth within a reasonable time frame.” Key takeaways ✅ Be candid - Investors value honesty over hype, they would rather know what is to happen that to begotten unawares. Acknowledging risk demonstrates self-awareness and strategic thinking. ✅ Scale smartly - Sustainable, focused growth attracts long-term investment more than unrestrained expansion. ✅ Build for acquisition - Structure your business to become an obvious choice for strategic investors. Leaping forward As Africa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem matures, the path to investment readiness is clear: structure, transparency, and strategy. Collaboration between founders, investors, and ecosystem players will determine how innovation transforms into truly investable enterprises. View the full interview here: https://lnkd.in/dGmMFxhm Anne Lawi, Muthoni Wachira, CFA, Peter Owaga, Fiona Kiruja, Maina Murage, Jacklyne Iminza Anyamba, Laura Cambe

💼 WE MEAN BUSINESS What does true sustainability in incubation really look like? The GrowthAfrica team joined partners from across Ethiopia’s incubation ecosystem for a strategy and sustainability workshop that looked beyond 2025. This gathering brought together ecosystem players united by a single question: how can we ensure our incubators continue creating value long after projects close? CELEBRATING IMPACT AND PROGRESS The BIC ETHIOPIA consortium shared encouraging progress from across its incubation network. The results point to a thriving pipeline of entrepreneurs, stronger job creation outcomes, and growing participation of women in enterprise development. From training hundreds of early-stage and growth-stage entrepreneurs to strengthening the operational capacity of business incubators, the programme continues to demonstrate that structured incubation when locally anchored and collaborative drives real enterprise growth and resilience. NEW TOOLS, NEW INSIGHTS A highlight of the workshop was the launch of ice180.com, the MSME Growth Tracking Tool developed by icehawassa. This platform will digitise how data is collected, analysed, and reported offering real-time insights on employment creation, business performance, and funding opportunities. It’s a major step towards evidence-based decision-making and scaling what works. LEARNING FROM OUR NEIGHBOURS A virtual input by Mercy Kimalat, CEO of ASSEK, offered valuable perspective. Kenya’s experience from progressive policy frameworks to investment inflows exceeding $600 million in 2024 showcased what’s possible when ecosystems align around shared goals. This was a timely reminder of the importance of ecosystem coordination, data-driven incubation, and cross-country learning in driving long-term impact. OUR TAKEAWAY Designing incubators for sustainability means building systems. We need to design for handover, not for dependency. We remain committed to championing collaboration, knowledge exchange, and sustainable incubation models that enable entrepreneurs to thrive long after the funding cycle ends. What would it take for Africa’s incubators to sustain impact without donor dependency? European Union, sequa gGmbH, Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations, adelphi, Stiftung Menschen für Menschen, Meselu Worku, Mohammedamin Abdullah, Ethiopian Association of Startup Ecosystem (EASE)