Since 2019, Generation Africa has been awarding outstanding young and innovative African agripreneurs who are transforming the agri-food system through its annual GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize competition. Two agripreneurs, one male and one female, each receive a $50,000 grand prize for the most innovative, scalable business venture and business model. The award recognizes young agripreneurs’ efforts toward achieving the Continent’s food and nutrition security goals.

In 2022, Esther Kimani, Founder of Farmer Lifeline Technologies (Kenya) and Mark Musinguzi Founder of Hya Bioplastics (Uganda) were crowned winners of the coveted annual GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Competition for their innovations: a crop pest and disease detection device that automatically informs farmers once crops are infested or disease detected and a sustainable biodegradable food packaging that provides a cost-competitive alternative to petroleum-based plastic packaging, respectively.

An additional four outstanding agripreneurs also received awards for innovative solutions that contribute to environmental conservation and community empowerment. They each received a grand prize of US $2,500 under the Impact Category. The 2022 recipients in this category included: Eloge Niyomwungere, Founder of Best Food Solution (Burundi), Nancy Iraba co-founder of Healthy Seaweed Company (Tanzania), Noël N’guessan co-founder of LONO in Côte d’Ivoire, and Seynabou Dieng, co-founder of Maya Sarl in Senegal.

This year marks the fifth edition of the Competition, and  shortlisted applicants (top 12) will have an opportunity to attend the annual African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) which will be held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. There, they can pitch their enterprises to a selected panel of judges, and winners will be announced in a formal ceremony graced by Heads of States and key stakeholders supporting youth agripreneurship. The Finalists will also get a rare opportunity to attend the Agribusiness Deal Room, a matchmaking platform that brings together all stakeholders in the agriculture sector with an aim of facilitating partnerships and investment opportunities. Other benefits include: mentorship, scholarships, linkages to different stakeholders in the agrifood sector, the opportunity to be part of Generation Africa Fellowship program, and end-to-end support helping them succeed in their journey.

Agripreneurs who apply for the competition automatically join the vibrant online GoGettaz community platform that currently boasts over 9,000 registered agri-professionals across the globe who are interacting, learning, mentoring each other and sharing best practices on youth agripreneurship daily.

Do not miss this exciting opportunity! Check out the criteria for taking part in the Competition below.

Eligibility

The Entrepreneur

• Entrepreneur is aged 35 or below on the date of submission to the competition and is legally recognized as an adult in a country of nationality.
• Entrepreneur holds nationality (with an official ID) from a country which is a member of the African Union.
• Entrepreneur is the founder/co-founder of the venture he/she represents in the competition and plays an active role in its operations and leadership.
• Entrepreneur has no criminal record related to corruption, tax evasion, financial impropriety, felony or other offense, and will provide a signed declaration to that effect, if requested.

The Venture

• Venture is already legally registered in a country which is a member of the African Union or will have commenced with the registration of such a legal entity prior to 1 July 2023.
• Venture is headquartered in a country which is a member of the African Union.
• Venture is designed to be financially sustainable, either as a for-profit business or a non-profit generating some revenue and aiming not to be dependent on donor funding.
• Venture plays a role in the agri-food sector and/or supports the development of the agri-food sector through innovations or process improvements.
• The agri-food sector may be defined as businesses including:
  • Agri-food research & development
  • Primary food production (farming)
  • Crop nutrition
  • Irrigation
  • Mechanization, automation or robotics, including drones
  • Crop protection
  • Hydroponics or urban farming
  • Transport, distribution, storage or logistics
  • Food processing
  • Packaging or marketing
  • Food retail or service
  • Waste management or recycling
  • Digital or technology solutions/services to the agri-food sector
  • Innovative finance solutions/services to the agri-food sector
  • Renewable energy or environmental solutions/services to the agri-food sector

To apply, please visit: https://vc4a.com/gogettaz/2023/

Wishing you all the best in your application!