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Zambia, Uganda startups win clean energy awards

6th October, 2025

Two African startups have earned global recognition for pioneering clean energy solutions that empower farmers and reduce food waste. Zambia’s Netagrow and Uganda’s ClimaVault Africa received the Rising Star awards from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

Netagrow uses AI-powered agricultural tools to help more than 10,000 smallholder farmers in Zambia boost crop yields by up to 40 per cent. Founded in 2021 by Nchimunya Munyama, the company builds climate-adaptive farming systems and operates innovation hubs in Lusaka and Livingstone. Backed by the UNDP and Halcyon Incubator, Netagrow aims to expand across Southern Africa.

ClimaVault Africa was recognised for tackling food waste with solar-powered cooling systems and edible coatings that extend produce shelf life from two to 36 days without refrigeration. The company reports saving more than 102,000 metric tons of food and supporting 120,000 customers while creating over 60 jobs.

Dr. Nawal Al Hosany, the UAE’s Permanent Representative to IRENA, said: ‘Digital technologies, artificial intelligence and data-driven solutions will be at the heart of this transformation, and it is youth entrepreneurs who are pioneering these tools to bring affordable, accessible, and scalable clean energy solutions to life.’

Both companies are graduates of IRENA’s NewGen Renewable Energy Accelerator, run in collaboration with India’s Social Alpha and the Enel Foundation. IRENA, an intergovernmental agency promoting renewable energy, represents 169 countries and the European Union. It supports global collaboration, innovation, and investment to power a sustainable, climate-resilient future.

Zambia’s energy future will be under the spotlight at the Zimbabwe-Zambia Energy Projects Summit, taking place 26-28 November, in Livingstone, Zambia. The annual summit, known as ZimZam, brings together government, investors, and developers to accelerate energy development in Southern Africa. Find out more here >>

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