Meet the finalists pitching at the 2024 Africa Prize final and showcase
As we prepare to welcome you to the Africa Prize final on Thursday 13 June, we are delighted to announce that four finalists have now been selected for the prestigious 2024 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation final! We look forward to you joining us and helping decide our winners. This year’s final will take place at Movenpick Residences in Nairobi, Kenya from 4:30 EAT and will also be livestreamed internationally for viewers at home.
About the finalists
Esther Kimani, Early Crop Pest and Disease Detection Device from Kenya
A solar-powered tool utilising AI and machine learning-enabled cameras to swiftly detect and identify agricultural pests and diseases, reducing crop losses for smallholder farmers by up to 30% while increasing yields by as much as 40%.
Rory Assandey, La Ruche Health from Côte d’Ivoire
La Ruche Health connects communities to vital health information, advice, and services through “Kiko”, an AI chatbot tool available on WhatsApp and mobile apps, and a digital backend solution to streamline documentation, billing, and data sharing for practitioners. The AI has facilitated over 150,000 user interactions and 189 in-home and teleconsultation appointments, processing over $18,000 in medical billings, illustrating its effectiveness and scalability.
Martin Tumusiime, Yo-Waste from Uganda
Yo-Waste is a location-based mobile application that connects homes and businesses to independent agents for efficient on-demand rubbish collection and disposal. The technology uses routing and scheduling algorithms to optimise waste collection routes, which reduces costs and improves efficiency. It has GPS location technology to pinpoint collection points, which overcomes the challenge of people not having official addresses in informal residential areas.
Kevin Maina, Eco Tiles from Kenya
An environmentally friendly roofing material made from recycled plastic. Stronger and lighter than clay or concrete tiles, the innovation is a dual solution to plastic pollution and high building costs. With a production rate of 1,500 tiles daily, each tile is pressed in a minute. Half a million Eco Tiles have been used to date in the construction of 348 houses.
One of these four finalists will be selected as the winner and receive £50,000 and three finalists will win £15,000 each. The remaining shortlisted entrepreneurs will be pitching for the £5,000 ‘One to Watch’ award which will be decided by an audience vote. The livestream and exhibition will allow attendees to explore, vote and connect with the Africa Prize 2024 shortlist whether you are joining us online or in person.
Visit the Interactive Showcase 2024 to learn about our fifteen entrepreneurs and please extend a warm invitation to anyone in your network who you think would be interested in attending the Africa Prize final with you. The Royal Academy of Engineering’s press release on the Africa Prize finalists can be read here.
As part of the Africa Prize alumni gathering for the 10th anniversary, we are also hosting the Africa Prize Investor Community Event, taking place on Tuesday 11 June in partnership with the UK-Kenya Tech Hub and UK International Development. This is an opportunity for you to meet and network with 100 founders who have been through the Africa Prize programme over the last ten years. Innovators will be attending from 20 countries across the continent with the largest representation being East African and in particular, from Kenya. If you are interested in further information on this event, please contact Alice Radley, Programme Manager for the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation alice.radley@raeng.org.uk
