The first phase of Greenovations focused on setting up a framework that brings together actors and stakeholders of the green innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem in Africa to identify and ideate solutions, organize, and support innovators and entrepreneurs, with a focus on women and youth.
Background
The Greenovations 1 project responded to calls for exploration and development of structures and mechanisms to support the identification, ideation, and development of solutions by start-ups to attract funding and absorb large capital, thus going beyond early-stage green start-ups to growing, and mature green innovation enterprises.
The project aimed to achieve this by establishing a framework that brings together actors and stakeholders of the green innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem in Africa to identify and ideate solutions, organize and support innovators and entrepreneurs, with a focus on empowering African youth and women. Greenovations 1 also initiated appropriated measures and structures to support and strengthen the ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa.
Green Sectors
The focus sectors of Greenovations 1 were:
Renewable Energy
Waste Management
Climate smart agriculture
Climate action
Water management
Project Overview
The project’s overarching objective was to accelerate women and youth-led green entrepreneurship in Africa by providing tailored support for business growth and sustainability, strengthening networks with potential investors, and helping set up a conducive business environment and regulatory framework through actionable policy recommendations.
The project’s key activities addressed four specific objectives underlining six work packages (WP):
- Knowledge development
- Evidence uptakes
- Capacity development
- Sustainability
The project adopted a holistic approach by implementing the Green Inclusive Innovation and Entrepreneurship Framework for Africa (GIEEFA), which consisted of several steps to set up an ecosystem to support youth and women green entrepreneurs in Africa while ensuring stakeholder collaboration and knowledge sharing.
The main beneficiaries of this project are youth- and women-led green start-ups, key actors in the green innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem, such as research centres, policymakers, technology innovation hubs and research centres, and funders/donors.
Key Achievements of the Project
Support for start-ups with funding, training and mentorship
Thirty green youth and women-led green start-ups with a cohort gender of 60% female for 40% male, with an average female representation of 53% of women in leadership positions. The start-ups representing 14 African countries, successfully participated in an eight-month Greenovations-Africa incubation programme 2023-2024. The programme provided a 50,000 EUR seed grant, technical assistance offerings, and tailored expertise. It resulted in thirty competitive youth and women-led start-ups with over 11 winning medals and prizes, including leadership recognition, creating jobs in their communities, and scaling up their business solutions.
From family farm to climate tech: How one Kenyan woman is helping farmers outsmart drought (UN News)
Swahili: Kutana na Maryanne Gichanga alialiyeibuka na ubunifu kukabili athari za tabianchi Kenya (Habari za UN)
Project Objectives and Methodology
The methodological approach in Greenovations consisting of incremental components or steps for the setup of the ecosystem to support youth and women green entrepreneurs in Africa in line with the project objectives.
- Assessment and classification of African start-ups, innovations and promising market segments in the Green sector
- Mapping of actors and stakeholders and structure of the Ecosystem Green Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Africa
- Strengthening youth skills and capacity for the development of knowledge-based innovations and start-up in green sectors
- Setup of Pan African Green Entrepreneurship Incubator and acceleration Framework
- Establishment of a Pan African Green Entrepreneurship Policy and Knowledge Hub