Two peer-selected SMEs will be awarded with milestone based grant funding of upto Euro 25,000.
The O-Farms program is back for the second year running, this time supporting 10 Kenyan-based agri-circularity startups addressing food losses and by-products. Selected startups will benefit from a tailored circularity curriculum, which will help them define their circular solutions, strengthen their business models and access grant funding of upto 25,000 euros.
O-Farms was launched in 2021 as Africa’s first accelerator program focusing on agri-circularity with the goal of making circularity a mainstream approach for improved rural livelihoods and sustainability. So far the program has supported 11 SMEs selected from nine counties in Kenya, seven of the enterprises had female co-founders. Goshen Farm who source and upcycle, aesthetically imperfect fruit into a healthy, natural dried fruit snack and Big Thunder who purchase off-grade, undersized macadamia nuts from smallholder farmers for oil extraction and use in the food and animal feeds were selected by their peers to receive grant funding of €25,000.
E4Impact Accelerator is implementing the O-Farm’s Accelerator Program in Kenya. “As E4Impact our aim is to support SMEs to refine their innovations, strengthen their business models, access financing opportunities and create a founding community advocating for better adoption of a circular economy and supportive policies & legislation. We are looking forward to receiving the 2nd cohort of agri-circularity SMEs as we strive towards cementing Kenya as an agricultural hub in Africa,” said David Cheboryot, Director of the E4Impact Entrepreneurship Centers.
Led by Bopinc and Village Capital, O-Farms is focused on accelerating the next generation of innovative circular agribusinesses in Kenya and Uganda. Agri-circularity creates a more sustainable food system that drives innovation through developing innovative business models that reduce agricultural losses, thereby creating new economic opportunities and jobs in the region. In this regard, Kenya is able to sustainably feed its growing population, without depleting its natural resources. O-Farms will build innovation support infrastructure that enables circular agribusiness to grow and develop.
Applications for cohort two are currently ongoing on https://bit.ly/o-farms-program until 30th September 2022.
ABOUT IKEA FOUNDATION
The IKEA Foundation is funded by the INGKA Foundation, owner of the Ingka Group of companies. The IKEA Foundation focuses on creating brighter lives on a livable planet through philanthropy and grantmaking. Learn more at www.ikea foundation.org.
ABOUT VILLAGE CAPITAL
Village Capital partners with sector-aligned leaders to inclusively identify and holistically support entrepreneurs addressing critical challenges in climate change and economic empowerment through targeted venture development programs proven to help entrepreneurs build stronger companies. Since 2009, Village Capital has supported more than 1,200 entrepreneurs around the world. Those entrepreneurs have gone on to raise more than $4 billion in follow-on investment, create over 13,000 jobs, and reach more than 40 million people with critical products and services.
ABOUT BOPINC
At BopInc, we believe that the best products should be available, where they matter most. Fulfilling aspirations and needs is key. Through the power of entrepreneurship, every new idea is turned upside down and inside out. Until we find the right innovation, right for low-income communities. From startups to multinationals, we help organizations to design and deliver inclusive, commercially viable business models. Our diverse team of global innovators and entrepreneurs, bridge the gap between private and development sectors.
ABOUT E4IMPACT
Funded by the Italian Agency for Development Co-operation, the European Union in Kenya and other donors, the E4Impact Foundation launched the E4Impact Accelerator which works with Kenyan businesses to grow their business, scale their impact, facilitate investment fundraising & provide market linkages to international markets. Its main aim is to enhance the sustainable development of fast-growing economies by training impact entrepreneurs and scaling the growth of their businesses. E4Impact currently offers its programs in 22 African countries with a goal of training over 3,000 entrepreneurs and establishing 1,000 new enterprises and thousands of new jobs in the formal economy. For more information, visit https://e4iaccelerator.org/.
By Michelle Mung’ata
Communication and Marketing Lead
E4Impact
