22 Jan 2025
Director of Africa, The Earthshot Prize
Alongside the British High Commission in Nairobi, The Earthshot Prize was proud to recently co-host Kenya Connect – an evening of storytelling, dialogue, and networking focused on African innovation and ecosystem building.
The event brought together Earthshot Prize Winners Charlot Magayi (Mukuru Clean Stoves, 2022) and Francis Nderitu (Keep IT Cool, 2024), with key partners from Conservation International, CAP-A, Catalyst Fund, and others. Together, we celebrated the power of regional collaboration and spotlighted some of the continent’s most inspiring solutions.
A standout moment was hearing about a first-of-its-kind partnership between Earthshot Prize Finalists Roam and Keep IT Cool – combining solar-powered cold storage with clean, Kenyan-built electric motorcycles to launch Africa’s first electric cold chain delivery network. This collaboration cuts emissions, reduces food waste, and strengthens public health and climate resilience in urban areas.
As I reflect on the moments from Kenya Connect, I’m reminded once again that Africa is not just participating in the global environmental movement, it’s leading it. And Earthshot solutions are right at the heart of it.
To date, over 860 unique solutions have been submitted to The Earthshot Prize from innovations headquartered in 43 African countries, reaffirming the continent’s role as a vital hub of environmental innovation. Over 49% of these solutions are led by women, and 62% are creating jobs while protecting the planet.
These figures are more than just data points. They are evidence of a powerful movement of local changemakers tackling the most challenging environmental issues, while at the same time addressing social and economic inequalities.
This makes clear the importance of having a strong regional presence and building relationships that are local, long-term, and led from within.
Earthshot Prize Finalist, Roam, brings affordable, electric transport to one of the world's fastest growing regions.
Earthshot Prize Winner, Keep IT Cool, cuts food waste with sustainable refrigeration solutions
Earthshot Prize Winner, Mukuru Clean Stoves, provides cook stoves that burn up to 90% cleaner than traditional methods
Earthshot Prize Winner, GAYO, help communities build infrastructure and create jobs in circular waste management
From Keep IT Cool’s solar-powered cold storage solutions reducing post-harvest food loss and Roam’s affordable electric transport, to Mukuru Clean Stoves’ energy-efficient, clean cooking stoves that reduce household air pollution, and GAYO’s youth-led circular waste initiatives, these ambitious climate leaders exemplify the spirit of The Earthshot Prize. They represent the urgent, optimistic action we need to tackle the planet’s greatest challenges.
As we stand at the midway point of the Earthshot decade, the solutions emerging from our African portfolio are breakthroughs that combine technology, innovation, and leadership. They deliver real impact, create jobs, and inspire hope for a healthier, fair planet for all.
From Earthshot Week in Cape Town in 2024 to our Kenya Connects event last week in Nairobi, The Earthshot Prize is committed to deepening our commitment to the innovators, ecosystems, and communities shaping Africa’s future.
With this in mind, we will soon be launching The Earthshot Africa Innovation Partnership. Through this partnership, standout African solutions will be identified and supported to help them build their readiness to go to scale. The partnership will also unite innovation ecosystems across the continent through multiple interventions to strengthen and deepen climate impact.
We invite governments, investors, NGOs, businesses, and communities to join us in accelerating urgent optimism into bold action on the African continent.
Together, we can scale solutions, unlock capital, and support visionary leaders who are building the future we choose, where people and planet thrive side by side.
