LEAP² Innovation challenges were created to enable innovations, entrepreneurs and start-ups to jump the digital divide and LEAP to a next level. LEAP² aims to facilitate the digital transition, create (self-) employment and promote socially responsible entrepreneurship in emerging countries. To read more about the past challenges, both in Kenya and in Uganda, click here.

The LEAP² Innovative Light & Circular Economy challenge will focus on businesses involved in sustainable light and energy innovations, such as solar and wind solutions. It will also focus on businesses aimed at devising circular solutions, such as reuse and recycling.

During the LEAP² Innovative Light & Circular Economy challenges young Kenyan entrepreneurs from the Coastal region. This challenge aims to boost their innovation by:

1) raising capital through a crowdfunding campaign (with match funding of up to 2,000 EURO per campaign)

2) attending professional trainings in crowdfunding and pitching

3) creating a network and the opportunity to showcase their innovation and create the perfect pitch for their business.

On Monday and Tuesday, participants of the Leap² challenge received training on among others crowdfunding and how to set up such a campaign. On Wednesday 3rd October, during the real kick-off event, the innovations pitched their idea. This kick-off event was attended by a delegation from Arrow USA. The Leap² launch event was one of the highlights in their strategic partner mission organised by Close the Gap. For the full story about the mission, click here.

The ten innovations that started their crowdfunding campaign yesterday are:

Waste Incinerator Water Heater: this innovation helps in solid waste management at domestic level: homes, schools, hospital, and other institution through incineration to cut on the cost of waste waste transportation and reduce the volume of waste that may end up in landfill sites.

Trash to Cash: Their goal is to create a safe and clean environment free from diseases, for people to become financial stable and to empower youth and women.

Tena Pads Initiative: an impact-based social enterprise that seeks to level the playing field for school-going girls in rural settings. They strongly believe that menstruation should not be a barrier to learning for any girl, anywhere. Tena Pads facilitates the production and distribution of Re-usable Pads.

Solar Powered Digital Egg Incubator: CALL-MAIN HATCHERY, is a company that makes solar powered incubators to provide employment to rural and town outskirt farmers, youth and women and to boost food security using renewable energy.

Smart Bin Electric Generator: a zero-waste solution offering the most efficient waste-management in domestic homes, institutions, hospitals, and factories by turning waste to energy.

Plastic Bottle Bulb: offers a recycled plastic bottle with a solar powered bulb to be attached to iron sheet roofed houses in informal settlements to enable access of clean renewable proper lighting.

Nywele Chapaa: The goal of the innovation is to help save the environment by recycling non biodegradable waste hair products in the urban and peri urban areas while creating employment for women and youth.

Flexi-port Biogas: seeks to provide quality environment-friendly gas while managing household waste. This clean renewable energy reduces pollution and any health problems that come with accumulation of waste in the environment. It's by-product, the 'slurry' is also used as fertilizer therefore nothing goes to waste.

Eco-fish Leather Tannery: The innovation aims at creating close to 100 jobs and create wealth through converting fish waste into leather and leather goods. Youths, women and persons with disabilities shall be engaged in various stages of leather production.

Bio-ehtanol Coconut Husks Fuel Gel: seeks to provide an alternative, cleaner, renewable and most importantly affordable Bioethanol fuel gel generated from coconut husks and at the same time create employment opportunities for youth and women in informal and rural settlements in Mombasa and the larger Coast region.

For more information about this particular challenge, visit the Leap² website.

To ensure that this Innovation Challenge will be a success, we work together with a network of trusted partners, such as Nailab, GoodUp, and a network local tech hubs and incubators in Mombasa.

Stay tuned for updates on the participants and their innovations!