In case you missed it, one of the biggest news in the #climatech arena in the past one week was the Earthshot Prize announcement where a Kenyan company emerged among the winners. Keep It Cool won the first prize cheque of KES 166 million (£1 million) for its innovations in building a waste free world.
It was the first time the award ceremony was held in Africa, in a weeklong string of events in Cape Town, that culminated in the announcement on 6 November of the winners from a shortlist of fifteen finalists.
About the Earthshot Prize
The Earthshot Prize was established by HRH Prince William in 2020 and is among the most prestigious global #environmental awards.
Each finalist in the five categories gets £1 million to support their groundbreaking solutions. Three finalists are usually chosen for each of the categories every year.
The five categories are:
1. Protect and restore nature – won by Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative (Kazakhstan)
2. Clean Our Air – won by Green Africa Youth Organization (GAYO) (Ghana)
3. Revive Our Oceans – won by Advanced Thermovoltaic Systems (USA)
4. Build a Waste Free World – won by Keep It Cool (Kenya)
5. Fix Our Climate – Won by Advanced Thermovoltaic Systems (USA)
The finalists were announced back in September from 2,500 nominations representing 139 countries.
Keep It Cool Waste Free Model
Keep It Cool provides sustainable refrigeration and smart distribution solutions for small scale farmers and fishermen.
Fisherfolk on the Kenyan side of Lake Victoria are losing up to half of their catch every day.
The company addresses the lack of centralised energy grids and limited on-demand cold storage options that have made it harder to keep produce cool, particularly when transferring from port to market.
It installs solar-powered cold storage units where fish are landed, ensuring the catch stays fresh, and then manage the transport to markets.
It helps extend the shelf life of their produce, reduces spoilage, and creates more stable incomes. By improving profits and cutting down on food waste, KIC is helping build a more sustainable future for these communities.
According to Keep It Cool, the efforts have led to a remarkable reduction of over 50% in carbon footprints within its value chain, “thanks to the use of renewable energy and an innovative cold chain distribution platform that makes these solutions both affordable and accessible.”
The startup was founded by Francis Nderitu as RainoTech4Impact in 2018.
