Kenyan Startups Shine at Africa’s Largest Entrepreneurship and Impact Investment Summit

By John Toris

At the 12th Sankalp Africa Summit held in Nairobi on February 27, 2025, four innovative startups were honored with the Sankalp Africa Awards for their contributions to addressing significant social and economic challenges across the continent. Among the awardees were two Kenyan startups, one focusing on healthcare access and the other on sustainable agriculture. This summit, held at the Edge Convention Centre in Nairobi, which brought together over 1,500 entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers, also provided live investor matchmaking sessions, facilitating substantial funding for African businesses.

PHOTO: Panelists engaging in discussions during Africa’s Entrepreneurship and Impact Investment Summit in Nairobi

Hosted by Intellecap, part of the Aavishkaar Group, the summit focused on scaling African entrepreneurship by connecting startups with funding opportunities, market linkages, and mentorship. This year’s overall winner was Kilimo Fresh Foods Africa (Tanzania), led by Founder Baraka Chijenga. The startup operates a B2B2C marketplace that connects farmers, consumers, businesses, and informal retailers to fresh produce using mobile technology. The first runner-up was Bena Care (Kenya), a health-tech startup founded by Naomi Monari. The company provides affordable home-based nursing and therapy services to chronically ill patients in middle- to low-income communities while training caregivers to earn an income.

The second runner-up was Dawa Mkononi (Tanzania), founded by Joseph Paul. The healthcare startup leverages technology to improve medicine distribution across Africa, reducing supply chain inefficiencies. A special Sankalp Ecosystem Award, determined through voting by impact ecosystem stakeholders, was awarded to Organic Fields (Kenya), led by Founder and CEO Richard Mwangi. The social enterprise transforms food waste from Kenyan municipal markets into organic fertilizer, promoting soil health and sustainability.

Nairobi is emerging as East Africa’s startup hub, and the Sankalp Africa Summit 2025 reinforced Kenya’s position as a leader in impact entrepreneurship and investment. Kenya’s startup ecosystem attracted over $1.2 billion in venture capital in 2023, a testament to the country’s dynamic entrepreneurial landscape.

“The Sankalp Africa Awards 2025 has truly been an enriching experience when it comes to meeting hundreds of impact enterprises whose business promise and potential is crucial to solving economic and development challenges across the continent.  Each of the startups showcased underscores how innovation coupled with intent can significantly impact and deliver on sustainability and social good. We are inspired by the ideas and the cutting edge innovation of our winners, each of whom demonstrate the ability to drive action, catalyse collaborations and influence positive outcomes,” said Karnika Yadav, Partner & Director, Intellecap Africa.

This year the 12th Sankalp Africa Summit is supported by Strategic Global Partners like AfDB, World Bank, Villgro Africa, Jhpiego, Health Finance Coalition, Grand Challenges Canada, Boehringer Ingelheim, Business for Health Solutions, William Davidson Institute and Viya, and will aim to catalyse collaborative capital, facilitate discussions on people centric approaches and incentivized private sector to adopt solutions that solve some of the most intractable social challenges.

Sankalp Forum was initiated in India in 2009 by Intellecap, part of the Aavishkaar Group, to create a thriving ecosystem for business-led inclusive development. Over the past 16 years, Sankalp has built one of the world's largest impact enterprise-focused platforms that has showcased and discovered 2,780+ entrepreneurs, through 33 editions and has connected them to 1000+ investors. Sankalp has enabled enterprises and entrepreneurs and has helped raise over USD 800 million in funding and disbursed over USD 1.3 Million in cash grants. Sankalp Forum engages with Governments, Corporations, influential platforms like WEF, GIIN, G8 and G20, media and civil society to drive a paradigm shift in inclusive development approaches.

PHOTO: From Left- Sankalp Ecosystem Award Winner Richard Mwangi of Organic Fields Ltd, 2025
Sankalp Awards winner Baraka Chijenga of Kilimo Fresh Foods and Sankalp Awards 2nd
runner up Dawa Mkononi's Joseph Paul during the finals of the Sankalp Africa Awards 2025
that were presented during the 12th Sankalp Africa Summit held at the Edge Convention
Center in Nairobi

Intellecap a part of the Aavishkaar Group is a pioneer in building enabling ecosystems and channelling capital to create and nurture a sustainable & equitable society. Founded in 2002, Intellecap works across critical sectors like Agriculture, Livelihoods, Climate Change, Clean Energy, Financial Services, Gender & Inclusion, Healthcare, Water and Sanitation, and has delivered over 1000 global engagements across 60+ countries and syndicated investments of over $1.2 Billion USD in Capital. Intellecap through its presence in India and Africa provides a broad range of Consulting, Research and Investment Banking Services, to Multilateral Agencies, Development Finance Institutions, Social Enterprises, Corporations, Investors, Policy Makers and Donors. 

Its common action platform, Sankalp Forum, one of the largest global inclusive development platforms, brings together the ecosystem to shape the way markets work for delivering the SDGs 2030. Select clients of Intellecap include the USAID, World Bank, Ford Foundation, The Hans Foundation, Doen Foundation, GIZ, DFID, Hindustan Unilever, P&G, International Finance Corporation, Asian Development Bank and Michael and Susan Dell Foundation.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Kenya Diaspora Alliance and KDA Welfare Association Host Impactful 4th Annual Social & Business Networking Event

Image
Nairobi, Kenya – The Kenya Diaspora Alliance (KDA) and the KDA Welfare Association (KWA) hosted the highly anticipated 4th Annual Kenya Diaspora/KWA Social & Business Networking Event on January 2nd, 2025, at the Bomas of Kenya in Nairobi. The event brought together Kenyan diaspora members from around the world, offering a platform to network, share experiences, and discuss how their collective efforts can advance both their personal interests and the development of Kenya. This year’s event attracted a diverse group of participants from various countries, including South Africa, the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Uganda, South Sudan, Rwanda, and Botswana. Local entrepreneurs and professionals also joined the diaspora, creating a vibrant environment focused on building connections and collaborations aimed at strengthening business ties and supporting the nation’s growth. Notable organizations such as ICEA Lion and Britam Asset Management were key partners at this year...
Read more

Inaugural International Religious Freedom Summit Africa Launches in Nairobi

Image
Religious Freedom as a Catalyst for Socioeconomic Development and Peacebuilding Nairobi, Kenya, Tuesday, 17 June:   Upon the kind invitation from the Chief Justice of Kenya Lady Justice Martha Koome who is the Chief Guest and host, the International Religious Freedom Summit has officially commenced in Nairobi, Kenya. This landmark 3-day event is organized by Pepperdine University and the Religious Freedom Institute, and hosted by the Global Peace Foundation. The summit aims to elevate religious freedom as a foundational pillar for peace, human dignity, and sustainable development across the African continent. Bringing together policymakers and religious leaders from across Africa, the summit underscores the urgent need to protect and promote religious freedom, which organizers highlighted as increasingly under threat across the region. H.E. Mrs. Bola Obasanjo, Co-Chair of the IRF Summit, emphasized that Africa requires greater investments of time and talent to adva...
Read more

New Generation Aspirants Unveil Youth-Led Roadmap for a New Kenya

Image
By James Nyaigoti Kenya’s emerging crop of youthful leaders has today  launched a bold political movement aimed at reimagining the country’s future through youth-led leadership, unity, and structural reform. Under the banner New Generation Aspirants (NGA), the diverse coalition of young political hopefuls from across the country presented a unified roadmap for national renewal and transformation ahead of the 2027 general elections. The movement, dubbed "The New Generation Aspirants Youth Led Roadmap for a New Kenya", drew hundreds of aspirants ranging from grassroots to presidential contenders. Central to the day’s activities was the signing of the Ufungamano Declaration a document committing the coalition to a just, inclusive, and people-centered leadership agenda. “This is our moment” Lavani Miller, co-convener of the NGA forum, delivered a passionate call to action: “We are tired of the status quo. We are tired of a government that continually sidelines its you...
Read more