Four innovators from Kenya, Côte d’Ivoire, and Uganda have been selected from a shortlist of 16 to compete for the £50,000 Africa Prize in its tenth anniversary year.
The four finalists include; Esther Kimani, Early Crop Pest and Disease Detection Device, Eco Tiles, Kevin Maina, Kenya, La Ruche Health, Kenya, Rory Assandey, Côte d’Ivoire and Yo-Waste, Martin Tumusiime, Uganda.
According to reports, in 2024, the four finalists have developed solutions including an environmentally-friendly roofing material made from recycled plastic, a smart healthcare platform providing direct access to vital healthcare information via WhatsApp, a location-based mobile app connecting customers to independent agents for on-demand rubbish collection and disposal, and a solar-powered tool using AI and machine learning-enabled cameras to detect and identify agricultural pests and diseases.
These innovations directly address the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, including zero hunger, good health and well-being, sustainable cities and communities, reduced inequalities, and climate action.
This year’s winner will receive a prize of £50,000, with the other three finalists receiving £15,000 each. The prize is double the amount of previous years in recognition of the Africa Prize’s tenth anniversary. The other shortlisted innovators will also be given one minute each to present their innovations, and an audience poll will select one of them to receive an award of £5,000.
This prize, the ‘One to Watch’, is awarded in honor of an alumnus of the Africa Prize who passed away, Ghanaian Martin Bruce, co-founder of Young at Heart. It is awarded to a member of the shortlist who the audience identifies as one to watch in the future.
The awards form part of the Royal Academy of Engineering’s investment of over £1 million to African innovators through grants, prizes, and an accelerator program placed during the 10th anniversary year of the Africa Prize.
The 2024 Africa Prize finalists were selected from a shortlist of innovators who are applying engineering to solve problems faced by their communities. The finalist selection took place following an eight-month training and mentoring program, during which experts provided tailored, one-on-one support designed to accelerate and strengthen the businesses of each member of the shortlist.
The training covered business plans, scaling, recruitment, IP protection, sector-specific engineering mentoring, communication, financing, and commercialization.
