THRIVE Global Initiative
Africa Challenge
Congratulations to our AFRICA Challenge Winners
THRIVE Africa Challenge Award
People’s Choice Award
Female Founder Award
WHAT IS IT?
The THRIVE Africa Challenge solves problems of the African agrifood industry
Accelerates the development of the ecosystem, and selects the best startups and scaleups for investment and global recognition.
Selection Criteria
Startups should be Seed to Series A with technologies focused in the following areas
Meet our Finalists
Farm Kiosk
Farm Kiosk is an agribusiness enterprise working on a philosophy of creating a borderless agribusiness space in Uganda and across East Africa using it’s Mobile App
Farmer 1st
Farmer 1st provides mobile payment and financial services, access to market, storage and logistics solutions to farmers and by extension agro buyers.
Foodlocker
Foodlocker supplies farm produce and consumer goods to large buyers by using data science and demand-matching technologies to enable smallholder farmers to produce against certain demand and to upscale their productivity.
Freshbox
Freshbox enterprises designs, manufactures, and deploys Solar-Powered Cold Storage Solutions for fresh produce farmers, aggregators and retailers.
Ponce
Hydroponics Africa’s simplified hydroponic system enables farmers to produce both food crops and livestock fodder without the use of soil.
Mamlaka Foods Limited
Mamlaka seeks to eliminate inefficiencies in the supply of fresh produce by leveraging end-to-end technology along the supply chain to ensure better quality produce and better pricing for farmers and consumers.
M-Shamba
M-shamba supports smallholder farmers in the production of safe and quality food and matches the supply from the farms with demand from vendors and distributors thus creating a ready market for farmers.
3DIMO
3DIMO provides livestock biometric identification to track and trace health abnormalities in animals using IR imagery and AI.
Agro SupplyUganda Limited
Agro Supply has developed a mobile layaway savings platform that allows farmers to save and invest in seeds, fertilizer, chemicals and tools without having to take credit.
Supporting Partners
Judging Panel
Neal Gutterson
Winnie Odhiambo
Betty Kiplagat
Beth Bechdol
John Harnett
Timothy Rann
Seth Silverman
CJ Fonsi
Barbara Muzata
Paul Rous
Special Guest
Thomas Debass
Elizabeth Liu
Fily Keita
Jessica Lapenn
WINNING COMPANY RECEIVES
The winner will receive the THRIVE Africa Challenge Award and advance to the finals of the global THRIVE Accelerator Program with an opportunity to be selected for the THRIVE VII Cohort in Silicon Valley, CA.
- Recognition Award: THRIVE Africa Challenge Award
- Invitation to pitch at the THRIVE VII Accelerator Finals. Selected companies receive investment and the opportunity to pitch at THRIVE | Forbes Demo Day 2021 in Salinas, CA, USA
- Recognition by SVG THRIVE and Forbes Media
- Complimentary access to a four-week Design Thinking course courtesy of the African Women Entrepreneurship Cooperative for the top female founder
- Automatic acceptance as a Samsung XTC Finalist
WINNING COMPANY RECEIVES
The winner will receive the THRIVE Africa Challenge Award and advance to the finals of the global THRIVE Accelerator Program with an opportunity to be selected for the THRIVE VII Cohort in Silicon Valley, CA.
- Recognition Award: THRIVE Africa Challenge Award
- Invitation to pitch at the THRIVE VII Accelerator Finals. Selected companies receive investment and the opportunity to pitch at THRIVE | Forbes Demo Day 2021 in Salinas, CA, USA
- Recognition by SVG THRIVE and Forbes Media
- Complimentary access to a four-week Design Thinking course courtesy of the African Women Entrepreneurship Cooperative for the top female founder
- Automatic acceptance as a Samsung XTC Finalist
Benefits for Entrepreneurs
- Recognition as one of the most promising agrifood companies in Africa—boosting existing ecosystems and attracting new agrifood innovation to the region
- Exposure to local and international investors and organizations
- THRIVE Accelerator Program qualification for the winning company
- Brand amplification through Forbes Media and THRIVE communication channels
- Access to expert mentors and advisors as well as access to THRIVE's extensive global entrepreneur network
THRIVE Africa Challenge Timeline
Partner Applications Open
Partner Applications Close
Program Kick Off
Workshops/ Programming
Silicon Valler Week & GIS
How to engage
Headline Partner
Headline Partners are looking to be the key sponsors and supporters of the Challenge—spotlighting early-stage startups that solve local or global agrifood tech challenges while getting visibility from the global innovation ecosystem.
Startup Partner
Startup Partners are interested in supporting the challenge winner while getting visibility in the region and globally through our community of over 18k startups, scaleups, corporations, and investors in agrifood tech.
Challenge Partner
Challenge Partners are looking to support the regional challenge, highlight the best startups in the region, and collaborate with key innovation leaders in the agrifood space.
Co-marketing Partner
Co-Marketing Partners have an extensive network of agrifood innovators in the region and are interested in getting visibility within our community of over 18k startups, scaleups, corporations, and investors in agrifood tech, while supporting the communication of the Challenge.