NAIROBI, Kenya- Heifer International Kenya has kicked off the 2024 AYuTe Africa Challenge, an exciting initiative designed to empower young entrepreneurs and transform the agricultural landscape.
AYuTe, which stands for Agriculture, Youth, Technology, aims to spur innovation from the youth, making agriculture a desirable and profitable career choice.
The AYuTe Africa Challenge offers a golden opportunity for youth-led agritech innovations in Kenya to pitch for investment, aiming to boost the income and productivity of smallholder farmers.
This year’s theme, “Reimagining the Future of African Agriculture,” highlights the importance of fresh ideas and groundbreaking technologies in the sector.
Applications, accepted until July 7, 2024, at 11:59 PM EAT, are categorized into two tracks: Track 1 for early-stage enterprises and Track 2 for businesses looking to scale up.
Since its inception in 2022, the challenge has seen impressive participation, with over 400 applications and more than 230 youth-led innovations receiving coaching and mentorship.
To date, over ten startups have been awarded cash prizes totaling over $40,000, fueling business expansion strategies that benefit smallholder farmers.
“This competition provides an opportunity for young innovators in Kenya to secure the funding and visibility they need to scale up their agritech solutions to reach millions of farmers across Kenya,” says William Matovu, Country Director of Heifer International Kenya.
He emphasizes the importance of innovative agritech solutions that can revolutionize the agricultural sector and expresses a keen interest in seeing increased participation from young women.
The 2024 edition focuses on addressing various needs across the agri-value chain, including production, aggregation, post-harvest loss management, value addition, market access, and financing.
To ensure comprehensive national representation, the competition targets four key regions: Nairobi, the Central Regional Economic Bloc, the Lake Region Economic Bloc, the North Rift Economic Bloc, and Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) counties.
Top winners of the AYuTe Africa Challenge will receive up to Ksh3.5 million in cash prizes.
Additionally, the top 20 innovators will participate in a one-month incubation program, providing them with valuable linkage to investment, networking, training, coaching, and mentorship opportunities through the E4Impact Accelerator.
Winners will also join the E4Impact Alumni community, ensuring ongoing support and networking opportunities even after the program’s completion.
