Lisk, the growth platform designed for Web3 founders in high-growth markets, has launched the Lisk EMpower Fund, a $15 million venture initiative aimed at backing Web3 startups solving real-world problems in Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia.

The Lisk EMpower fund has already invested in Lov.cash, a South African digital supply chain platform, Afrikabal, an African Agritech platform, IDRX, an Indonesian stablecoin, and SigraFi, who finances small gold producers and issues gold-backed onchain loan notes.

“Global VCs have become obsessed with speculation. In high-growth markets, the opposite is true. Founders are solving real problems with real utility and that is where the next unicorns will come from,” said Gideon Greaves, Head of Investments at Lisk.

High-growth markets offer significant growth opportunities, leveraging emerging technology to develop innovative solutions that solve local challenges that otherwise could not be solved by traditional technology. Many founders bootstrap to Series-A level traction without ever raising institutional seed capital. Yet, a knowledge gap remains in the opportunities to invest in these regions.

Emerging markets have consistently outperformed public benchmarks, delivering 9-11% annualized venture returns over the past 10-15 years, according to Cambridge Associates. Lisk believes this marks the start of a generational bull run in emerging markets, driven by unprecedented innovation and the rapid adoption of transformative technologies. In contrast, U.S. seed-stage venture has become oversaturated, with record-high early-stage valuations and near-zero three-year returns. This creates an opportunity to back high-growth founders in Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia at fair valuations, while generating uncorrelated, venture-scale returns.

The disconnect is Lisk’s opportunity. The Lisk EMpower Fund addresses a critical gap that most VCs continue to miss. By backing founders at the earliest stages, the Lisk EMpower Fund delivers more than capital, it offers hands-on advisory, Web3 experience, and resources, becoming long-term partners with the founders at the intersection of local impact and global growth.

“Emerging markets are no longer the future of Web3, they are the present,” said Dominic Schwenter, COO at Lisk. “The Lisk EMpower Fund is designed to bridge the capital gap for world-class founders who are building global companies from these ecosystems.”

The Lisk EMpower Fund model integrates incubation, assessment, and growth capital through a scalable, end-to-end pipeline designed to accelerate high-potential ventures.

• Web3-Native: Dedicated capital for infrastructure and applications solving real-problems in payments, remittances, identity, and supply chain.
• Emerging Markets: Targeting regions that are ripe for organic adoption and have the potential to scale globally.
• Hands-on Advisory: Beyond capital, Lisk operates as a boutique investment bank for startups, supporting founders in refining their narratives, structuring for international fundraising, and securing proper Series A and B rounds.
• Tokenized Fund Structure: The Lisk EMpower Fund utilizes tokenization to streamline LP subscriptions, provide secondary market liquidity, and open access to retail LPs, who are traditionally excluded from venture funds.

By investing in the essential digital infrastructure of emerging economies, Lisk generates venture-scale returns uncorrelated with saturated Western markets. Its structured investment model is designed to de-risk early-stage ventures while providing hands-on advisory support to prepare them for global institutional investment.

Through strategic partnerships with leading local incubators, Lisk gains early access to pre-vetted deal flow across Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia. Selected companies are eligible to receive $250,000 in capital alongside strategic support, ranging from investor-grade financial modeling and legal structuring to access to Lisk’s global VC network.

South African fintech startup Street Wallet has acquired Digitip, a platform that allows informal workers to receive digital tips, in a deal aimed at deepening its presence in KwaZulu-Natal and broadening access to the digital economy.

Founded in 2021 by Kosta Scholiadis, Street Wallet provides mobile payment solutions tailored for informal traders and service providers. The platform integrates with leading gateways such as Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, SnapScan, Zapper, and Scan-To-Pay, enabling vendors to accept secure, cashless payments without traditional bank accounts or hardware. Daily earnings are converted into Standard Bank Instant Money Vouchers, which can be withdrawn at ATMs or partner retailers.

The acquisition follows Street Wallet’s recent $350,000 funding round, which is fueling market expansion and sales growth across South Africa. Incorporating Digitip, launched in 2023, will extend Street Wallet’s reach among informal workers and strengthen its value proposition with lower transaction costs, faster payouts, and enhanced technology infrastructure.

“This is a game-changer for Digitip users and clients,” said Digitip founder Monica Nilsen. “Our community can now earn more through lower fees, enjoy daily payouts, and benefit from a smoother platform.”

Street Wallet CFO and COO Stephen Britto said the move underscores the company’s broader goal of driving financial inclusion. “We want to make transacting easier while bringing traders into the banking ecosystem through bespoke fee structures,” he said.

ARC Ride has raised $10 million from Mirova, an affiliate of Natixis Investment Managers, in senior secured debt that will be used to fund over 600 battery-swapping cabinets and 25,000 batteries.

This follows the $5 million financing from British International Investment (BII), the UK’s development finance institution and impact investor to provide affordable, reliable and clean e-mobility solutions for rapidly developing cities in Kenya.

According to Joseph Hurst-Croft, CEO at ARC Ride: “This partnership with Mirova marks a major milestone in our mission to make electric mobility accessible, affordable, and sustainable across Africa. With Mirova’s support, we’re not only scaling our operations in Kenya, we are laying the groundwork for a cleaner transport future across wider regions in Africa.”

A growing market with transformative potential

The rise of electric vehicles (EVs) in Africa responds to the growing need for sustainable and affordable transport, as consumers seek alternatives to gasoline-powered vehicles amid rising fuel prices. With rapid urbanization and falling technology costs, the African EV market is poised for strong compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 10.6% from 2025 to 2029². This momentum is driven by government incentives and increasing demand for clean mobility, making Africa an attractive destination for EV investment.

Delivering aligned impact goals

ARC Rides’ electric mobility strategy aligns with two UN Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 13 – Climate Action and SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic₂ Growth. Each electric motorcycle deployed is estimated to reduce 2 tonnes of CO emissions annually, replacing internal combustion engine (ICE) models and promoting clean energy in transport. In Kenya, motorcycle riders—often low-income gig workers—benefit from lower operating costs, with savings on fuel and maintenance, contributing to both environmental and economic impact.

Rim Azirar, Deputy Head of Emerging Market Energy Transition at Mirova, adds: “This investment reflects Mirova’s mission to support innovative, high-impact climate solutions in emerging markets. ARC Ride is redefining urban mobility in Africa through a scalable model that reduces emissions and improves livelihoods. We’re proud to support their journey.”

Tesh Mbaabu and Mesongo Sibuti, the co-founders of MarketForce and Chpter have announced the launch of Cloud9 Money, a new neobank designed to give Africa’s youth a faster, smarter, and more human financial experience.

Unlike traditional banks, neobanks operate fully online and are built around mobile-first lifestyles. Cloud9 Money is positioning itself as part of this new wave, offering real-time payments, transparent credit, savings, and wealth management tools designed for Africa’s millennials and Gen Z.

Banking, Reimagined for Africa’s Youth

Mbaabu describes Cloud9 Money as more than just a financial app: “Cloud9 has always symbolized joy, freedom, and possibility. That elevated state of living is what we want to bring to young Africans through Cloud9 Money.”

Africa is the world’s youngest continent, with 70% of its population under 30. By 2030, young Africans will make up 42% of the world’s youth population, and already 1 in 3 Africans is engaged in entrepreneurial activity. Yet, despite this drive and creativity, most remain underserved by traditional lenders.

“Banking in Africa is broken for us – Millennials, Zillenials, and Gen Z,” Mbaabu said. “We’re fluent in apps and side hustles, but too often excluded, overcharged, or slowed down by rigid institutions.”

What Makes Cloud9 Money Different

The neobank is being built by Africans, ex-bankers, and entrepreneurs who have personally experienced these barriers. Its design focuses on eliminating hidden fees, clunky onboarding, and exploitative credit practices.

Key offerings will include:

• Instant, real-time payments for a generation that lives online.
• Accessible, fair credit for freelancers, hustlers, and small businesses.
• Wealth management tools to help young Africans grow, not just spend.
• Borderless features to support cross-border freelancing and global commerce.

At its core, Cloud9 Money says it is a movement to re-humanize finance, restoring trust in a sector where many feel excluded.

The Bigger Bet

Africa’s fintech sector has exploded in recent years, with startups like Kuda, Chipper, and Flutterwave driving the shift to digital-first financial services. But with over $1 trillion already flowing through digital payments each year, there’s still massive room for innovation.

Mbaabu argues that neobanks like Cloud9 Money will be key to unlocking the continent’s economic potential. “Because when money flows, opportunities flow – and when opportunities flow, our youth and our continent rise,” he said.

Founders’ Track Record

Cloud9 Money comes after Mbaabu and Sibuti stepped down from leadership at Chpter, where they helped raise $1.2 million in pre-seed funding and built partnerships with fintech leaders like Flutterwave.

The duo first made their mark with MarketForce, the YC-backed platform connecting retailers to suppliers. Though MarketForce’s B2B commerce unit RejaReja shut down in 2024, the experience gave them deep insight into Africa’s financial and digital commerce ecosystem.

A Movement, Not Just a Bank

Cloud9 Money has not yet disclosed funding or launch dates but has opened a waitlist for early adopters.

For Mbaabu, this is about more than transactions: “Cloud9 Money is a neobank built for ambition, creativity, and freedom. It’s not just about moving money, but about powering the next generation of Africans to live fully, build wealth, and shape the future.”

With this neobank, the founders are betting that Africa’s digital-first youth will embrace a banking model that speaks their language: fast, mobile, borderless, and human.

 Safaricom has selected 10 startups as finalists for the second cohort of the Spark Accelerator Program, chosen from a competitive pool of more than 200 applicants.

The telco says the selected startups – Mediakits.Io, WePlay Arcade, GoPay, FlexPay, QuePay, Leta.AI, Oye, DigiTax, Incourage Insurance Agency Limited and StockApp will participate in an intensive three-month program designed to accelerate their growth and set them up for long-term success.

According to Dr Peter Ndegwa, CEO, Safaricom, “We have broadened our scope of support to early-stage startups that fit the criteria, to include technology and product development support, access to market and access to capital.”

The program combines training, mentorship, funding, and go-to-market support across two tracks namely the iHUB-led Track and a Corporate Engagement Track. The iHub-led track is a structured curriculum including expert-led workshops, advisory sessions, and mentorship while the second one gives them access to Safaricom and M-PESA Africa’s commercial and technical teams, along with distribution networks to fast-track scale and integration.

The selected startups operate in strategic sectors including Embedded Finance, Creative Economy, Future Fintech, and SME Productivity Tools:  areas aligned with Safaricom’s broader innovation and impact agenda.

The startups will go through a 3-month acceleration program that will culminate in a high-impact investor Demo Day in February 2026, where the startups will pitch to leading venture capital funds and potential investors and go on to receive nine to twelve months, post-acceleration support.

The Spark Accelerator is a corporate accelerator powered by a strategic partnership between Safaricom, M-PESA Africa, and Sumitomo Corporation, implemented by iHUB, with support from Vodacom, PwC, and AWS.

“Africa’s innovation and creative ecosystems need financing models that go beyond the current traditional financing sources. Corporate accelerators play a vital role by bringing the resources, infrastructure, and market access of established companies into direct partnership with startups. This approach strengthens the capacity of ventures to scale and creates new pathways for sustainable growth and resilience across the continent. The commitment of Safaricom, M-PESA Africa, Sumitomo, AWS, and PwC makes this vision possible, and we are proud to work together to shape Africa’s innovation and creative future.” Ojoma Ochai, Managing Director iHUB and Co-creation HUB.

The first cohort includes startups such as Twiva which partnered with Safaricom Hook to onboard 11,000+ influencers onto their platform, Chpter expanded its AI-powered platform into South Africa and Nigeria. HealthX Africa grew its subscriber base by 40% in just six months and went live on the M-PESA consumer miniApps, reflecting the rising demand for hybrid healthcare solutions, Chumz went on to reach 300,000+ users by leveraging gamification to influence positive savings behaviour and expanded into Rwanda.

BlackRhino partnership with Safaricom Brand team won the Best Emerging Technology in Marketing campaign award at the 2024 Marketing Society of Kenya awards. Safaricom continues to work with Cohort I start-ups on commercial partnership opportunities.

Startups in the second cohort will benefit not only from Safaricom’s technology assets — including Daraja and M-PESA Africa Open APIs — but also from hands-on product development and integration support that can fast-track their ability to build, test, and scale impactful solutions across markets.

Through iHUB’s Pan-African innovation network, startups gain access to a vibrant community of entrepreneurs, experts, and ecosystem enablers, creating opportunities for cross-border collaboration, market entry, and knowledge exchange. Additionally, support from partners such as AWS — through AWS Activate Credits — equips the startups with critical infrastructure and cloud resources to scale efficiently and sustainably. This combination of corporate tools, community support, and technical resources is designed to accelerate each startup’s path to scale and long-term resilience.

UK-Kenya Tech Hub and ViKtoria Ventures, has launched the Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) Report: State of Play in Kenya, the first comprehensive study on how Kenyan corporates can become critical investors and partners in scaling the country’s innovation economy.

Dubbed Angel Leads Program, the report comes at a time when startups in Kenya face a pressing financing gap. According to the African Development Bank, Africa’s early-stage businesses collectively face a $194 billion annual shortfall in funding, equivalent to about 7% of the continent’s GDP. Despite Kenya’s position as one of Africa’s leading startup hubs, most founders still depend heavily on foreign capital, with local funding options limited.

“Startups in Kenya have immense potential, but many struggle to secure early-stage investment,” said Enos Weswa, Country Director, UK-Kenya Tech Hub. “The UK-Kenya Tech Hub exists to bridge that gap — through training, research, and programmes like the Angel Leads Program — so more founders find capital, customers, and partners right here at home.”

Globally, corporate venture capital has become a powerful driver of startup growth. The number of corporate investors has tripled in the last decade, with CVC funding reaching $130 billion in 2024, up from $70 billion in 2017. Yet in Kenya, corporate investment remains limited to a few early initiatives such as Safaricom’s Spark Fund and Chandaria Capital.

The new report argues that Kenyan corporates, with their market access, sectoral dominance in telecoms, fintech, FMCG, and infrastructure, and rapidly digitising customer bases, are uniquely positioned to fuel startup growth. By moving from short-term sponsorships and brand-building to patient, strategic CVC activity, corporates can unlock new products, distribution channels, and acquisition pipelines while strengthening Kenya’s economy.

“This report isn’t theory, it’s a playbook,” said Stephen Gugu, Co-founder, African Angel Academy and Director, ViKtoria Ventures, who presented the findings. “We spoke directly with corporates and startups and studied real-world examples. Whether it’s Safaricom Spark Fund as a trailblazer, Centum exploring startup interfaces, or Chandaria Capital blending family office and CVC models — the lesson is clear: corporate capital is multiplier capital when deployed with strategy and patience.”

The Corporate Venture Capital Report introduces a Corporate Venturing Readiness Assessment, a practical checklist for boards and leadership teams to evaluate governance, financial commitments, and non-financial assets such as distribution networks, procurement, and proprietary data before launching or scaling CVC initiatives.

The report also highlights the importance of ecosystem collaboration, recommending that corporates co-invest with angel networks, VCs, and other intermediaries to align expectations and safeguard startup growth trajectories.

It issues a clear call to action, stating that CVC is about “securing tomorrow, not short-term activity.” It warns that corporations using ecosystem engagement solely for brand PR are missing a larger strategic opportunity. Early adopters of strategic CVC will be first movers in new customer segments and technology acquisition.

Why Now?

The release of this report comes at a pivotal moment. Kenya’s venture ecosystem is experiencing slower capital inflows, with global VC activity tightening. Yet, corporates remain relatively under-engaged despite their strategic interest in innovation. By entering CVC early, Kenyan corporates stand to capture first-mover advantages in emerging technology, customer acquisition, and new markets.

ViKtoria Ventures, through the Angel Leads Program and African Angel Academy, has already trained and mentored dozens of angel investors, strengthening Kenya’s local investment base. The organisation believes CVC can further expand this base, creating co-investment opportunities that blend corporate scale with angel agility.

“Angel Leads Program is designed to build a pipeline of investors who can fuel the next generation of Kenyan innovation while ensuring strong financial returns,” added Weswa. “CVC, alongside angel investing, is how we reduce reliance on donor funding and put Kenya’s innovation future in local hands.”

TLcom Capital, the Africa-focused venture capital firm, has confirmed that one of its Partners, Ido Sum, will be departing the firm.

Sum has been with the firm for 14-years where he contributed to early-stage investment activities and supported several portfolio companies, including uLesson, Littlefish and Zone.

Launched in 1999, TLcom has over two decades of experience in investing in technology entrepreneurs and has built one of the most experienced and diverse investment teams for the continent, with 15 professionals across its Nairobi and Lagos offices. During his tenure with the firm, Sum supported the closing TIDE Fund I and TIDE Fund II, the latter being one of the biggest early-stage funds for the continent.

Ido Sum, Partner at TLcom Capital, said: “I am proud of what we have built at TLcom over the last 14 years. It has been a privilege to work alongside such a talented team and to have supported and worked side-by-side with some of Africa’s most audacious entrepreneurs. I am confident that the firm will continue to lead the investment pack, and I look forward to my next chapter.”

Maurizio Caio, Managing Partner at TLcom Capital, commented: “We thank Ido for his commitment and dedication over the past 14 years and for his contribution to build TLcom as the preferred partner for Africa’s most ambitious entrepreneurs, and the wider African tech ecosystem. It has a been a pleasure working with him, and we wish him the very best for his next endeavors”.

Daniel Yu, founder of African B2B e-commerce company Wasoko, has stepped away from a full-time role at the firm, more than a year after its merger with Egyptian peer MaxAB.

Yu launched Wasoko in 2014 with the goal of digitizing informal retail supply chains across Africa. Over 11 years, the company raised more than $140 million in funding from investors including Tiger Global, Avenir, 4DX Ventures, and IFC, reaching a valuation of about $625 million in 2022. At its peak before the merger, Wasoko was operating in six markets — Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal — serving tens of thousands of small shopkeepers.

The merger with MaxAB in 2023 created one of the largest tech-enabled retail distribution platforms in Africa, combining Wasoko’s East and Francophone African footprint with MaxAB’s strength in North Africa. Analysts said the tie-up was a significant consolidation move in Africa’s fragmented e-commerce sector, giving the combined group scale to compete against regional rivals and global platforms.

Yu said he will remain involved in the company’s growth under CEO Belal El-Megharbel, who co-founded MaxAB. “I’m deeply grateful to everyone who has been part of this journey — teammates, partners, and investors,” Yu said in his announcement via LinkedIn.

On a personal note, Yu is relocating to India to join his fiancée, Rachel Abbott, as they prepare for their wedding. He will also step more fully into his role as board chair of Malengo, a nonprofit focused on eliminating extreme poverty through international education pathways.

MazaoHub, Tanzania’agri-tech startup blending artificial intelligence with hands-on agronomy to drive climate-smart farming, has raised $2 million in an oversubscribed pre-seed round  to scale AI-powered Smart Farming across Africa.

The raise includes $1.5M in equity, led by Catalyst Fund with participation from Nordic Impact Fund, Mercy Corps Ventures, elea Foundation, Impacc, and DOB Equity. It also includes $500k in non-dilutive capital from the Livelihood Impact Fund, highlighting growing investor appetite for blended finance in climate adaptation.

According to Geophrey Tenganamba, CEO and Co-Founder of MazaoHub, “Farmers become data-driven decision-makers, buyers gain trusted traceability, and agribusinesses operate as climate-smart franchises. This is where sustainability meets scale.”

The new capital will accelerate production of MazaoHub’s low-cost soil kits and sensors, expand its network of Farmer Excellence Centers, and finance the rollout of CropSupply.com, which began piloting earlier this year. With food systems under increasing pressure from climate shocks, MazaoHub’s bet is clear: combine AI, hardware, and human expertise to make farming not just more productive, but fundamentally more efficient and climate-aligned—and for the first time, connect smallholder farmers to global markets with full farm-level traceability.

Investors see MazaoHub as an example of Africa leapfrogging into a data-driven agricultural future. “MazaoHub is showing that African agriculture can blend data insights with local agronomists to enable sustainable farming at scale,” said Maelis Carraro, Founder and Managing Partner at Catalyst Fund.

MazaoHub operates through a hybrid “Tech and Touch” model that combines soil sensors, portable soil kits, and AI-powered farm management software with on-the-ground support from agronomists and access to markets. Its offline-first platform equips farmers with crop dashboards, cost analysis tools, and daily checklists, built for environments with limited connectivity. At the same time, rural agribusinesses are upgraded into Farmer Excellence Centers—described as “agricultural clinics”—where professional agronomists provide in-person guidance informed by digital insights.

At the end of the cycle, MazaoHub connects farmers directly to buyers through CropSupply.com, a sourcing platform that ensures full traceability from soil data to shipment, tackling one of agribusiness’s toughest challenges: supply chain transparency.

The company’s model is designed to deliver both productivity gains and climate benefits. By reducing fertilizer use by up to 30%, boosting organic manure adoption fivefold, and optimizing irrigation, farmers grow more food with fewer inputs while lowering emissions, saving water, and cutting energy use.

“Our investment is driven by its profound climate impact. MazaoHub is cutting emissions, building resilience, and ensuring millions of smallholders are included in the digital transition,” said Lisbeth Stausholm Zacho, Managing Director at Nordic Impact Funds.

The round also brought in local banking partners. CRDB Bank Foundation has signed on to embed inclusive finance into the ecosystem, ensuring that productivity gains translate into improved livelihoods. “By linking financial products to MazaoHub’s soil intelligence and sourcing systems, we can ensure that the benefits farmers achieve with data actually reduce lending risks and drive systemic change,” said Tullyesther Mwambapa the Managing director of CRDB Foundation.

Four entrepreneurs have been selected as finalists for the 2025 Africa Prize, the continent’s largest prize dedicated to fostering engineering innovation, with a mission to stimulate, celebrate, and reward innovation and entrepreneurship across sub-Saharan Africa.

This year’s finalist innovations include a life-saving neonatal device helping at-risk babies to reach health facilities safely from remote areas and a groundbreaking AI tool to support greater inclusivity for the deaf and hard-of-hearing people.

In addition, a smart device that is transforming fish farming by monitoring water quality in local fisheries in real-time to help smallholder farmers produce sustainably and profitably, and solar-powered electric vehicle (EV) charging and battery-swapping stations that enhance rural mobility and provide electricity to local communities, will also compete to win this year’s Africa Prize.

The Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation is run by the Royal Academy of Engineering and part funded by the UK’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

The finalists were chosen from a shortlist of 16 who each received a comprehensive support package designed to help commercialise their innovations.

Meet the 2025 finalists: 

Vivian Arinaitwe, a Ugandan biomedical engineer, developed Neo Nest, a portable, low-cost, neonatal warming and monitoring device designed to prevent neonatal hypothermia during ambulance transfers from rural health facilities to referral hospitals.  Acting as a compact, makeshift incubator, Neo Nest generates and regulates heat through an electric circuit while continuously monitoring vital indicators. LEDs on the device display green for normal operation, orange for a warning, and red for danger, with alarms alerting caregivers to malfunctions or failures.

Built for both warmth and security, the device features an adjustable ring and Velcro straps to keep the baby securely in place. A smart temperature control system, integrated through a microcontroller, maintains optimum temperatures through a feedback loop that adjusts to environmental changes. Heat-conducting fluid evenly distributes warmth, ensuring that even the most vulnerable infants remain stable and comfortable during transfer

Since beginning the Africa Prize programme, Vivian has also been recognised at the African Women Innovation & Entrepreneurship Forum Awards 2025 in the Tech Entrepreneur Award category and secured agreements with health facilities in Uganda to deploy the Neo Nest device. 

Elly Savatia, a Kenyan entrepreneur, created Terp 360, a groundbreaking app designed to support people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. Using AI and 3D avatars, it translates speech into sign language with lifelike fluidity, setting it apart from other tools on the market.

To enhance the experience, Elly’s team at Signvrse incorporated motion capture technologies and collaborated with deaf and hard-of-hearing Kenyans to record over 2,300 signs, including common phrases and words. This ensures the app’s avatar feels human-like, relatable and culturally relevant. By addressing the interpreter shortage and improving accessibility, Terp 360 has the potential to transform learning environments and create more inclusive spaces.

Since beginning the Africa Prize programme, Elly and his team have secured a Google.org grant to support sign language dataset expansion and scaling. Additionally, they have set up a presence in Rwanda at Carnegie Mellon University’s College of Engineering and further plan to pilot classroom and public-service deployments. 

Frank Owusu, a Ghanaian ‘aquapreneur’, developed Aquamet, a smart water quality monitoring device that is helping smallholder farmers to reduce fish mortality and boost yields, enabling them to farm both sustainably and profitably. Farmers using the device report yield increases of 10–15%, a significant improvement when they would usually expect to lose up to 45% of their fish.

The device features three critical sensors that track pH, dissolved oxygen, and water temperature, all of which are key factors for fish health. When water quality deteriorates, it sends real-time notifications and actionable recommendations directly to the farmer’s mobile phone. The platform also offers record-keeping tools, access to extension services, and a marketplace linking farmers with buyers.

Since being shortlisted for the 2025 Africa Prize, Frank has achieved two major business-to-business distribution partnerships across West Africa. In addition, the visibility and support provided by the Africa Prize have helped Frank secure partnerships with the British High Commission and the Centre for Environmental Fisheries, Aquaculture Science, to support an Animal Health System Strengthening Project as the implementing partner, and with the Fish for Development Project in Ghana, an initiative to build fish farmers’ capacity.

 Carol Ofafa, a Kenyan engineer, founded E-Safiri, a battery-swapping service, providing a convenient and accessible solution for EV users. Operating across four locations in Kisumu, Kenya, the service addresses a major barrier to EV adoption: the lack of home charging infrastructure, particularly in rural areas where many households lack electricity. By providing charging and swapping cabinets for electric bicycle and motorbike batteries, E-Safiri eliminates the need for personal charging setups.

Each hub runs on solar energy and uses IoT-enabled batteries that deliver real-time updates, allowing for proactive maintenance. A central dashboard tracks energy use across sites, optimising efficiency and cutting costs. Beyond mobility, E-Safiri ensures surplus energy supports local communities: charging hubs double as power centres for households without electricity.

Since being shortlisted for the 2025 Africa Prize, Carol has been named one of Business Daily’s Top 40 under 40 Women and been recognised by Sustainable Energy as one of Africa’s Energy Heroes 2025. She has also secured funding through the Carbon Trust and signed E-Safiri’s first contract with Renewable World.

The Africa Prize Live Final event, supported by the British Embassy in Dakar, will be hosted by TV presenter Merry Beye on 16 October at Noom Hotel Dakar Sea Plaza, Dakar, Senegal, and feature a keynote by Claudia Senghor, founder of Agrobabe. The 2025 finalists will pitch their innovations to a live, in-person and online audience and a panel of judges.

Launched in 2014 by the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Africa Prize has supported 165 businesses from 22 countries with invaluable training, mentoring, and communication resources. Collectively, these alumni have secured $34 million in grants and equity funding.

Applications for the 2026 Africa Prize opened in July and will close on 23 September 2025. Interested candidates must apply within this window to be considered for the 2026 shortlist. Visit the website to ‘Apply.