The Rise of Environmental Entrepreneurship in Tanzania
Climate accelerator enters second phase
TL;DR: SmartLab has partnered with Climate-KIC to launch a new accelerator program targeting 10 green startups. The 2nd ClimAccelerator offers a total of €40,000 in funding plus additional support. Application details coming soon on SmartLab.co.tz and its social media pages.
Background
In 2018, a small group of Tanzanian entrepreneurs gathered in Dar es Salaam. They came for a contest called ClimateLaunchpad, billed as the world's largest green business ideas competition. It was a chance to share ideas about fixing climate problems. Back then, it seemed like just another event in a big city, but it was the seed of something much bigger.
ClimateLaunchpad, brought to Tanzania by Anza as the National Lead, offered local innovators a global stage. Whether their ideas involved renewable energy, sustainable food chains, urban mobility, or any other way to tackle climate change, the competition provided a platform. From a two-day boot camp to intensive coaching sessions, participants learned to transform their napkin sketches into solid business plans.
Contest Inspires Accelerator
We all know how important farming is in Tanzania. It gives jobs to 61 out of every 100 workers. It makes up almost a third of what our country produces (aka GDP). But changing weather is making farming harder. We're seeing less rain when we need it, and more heat - which either damages or lowers yields of crops like maize and rice.
The people at those early ClimateLaunchpad events knew these problems well. They wanted to find new ways to help. Over the next few years, their small contest grew into something bigger. ClimateLaunchpad became the foundation for ClimAccelerator, a six-month program designed to turn promising ideas into viable businesses addressing Tanzania's climate challenges.
In other words, what started as an annual competition soon evolved into a more comprehensive support system for climate innovators. By 2022, Climate-KIC, the organization behind ClimateLaunchpad, recognized the need to do more in Tanzania. They expanded their initiatives to help rural communities deal with climate change. They began working with startups, NGOs, climate experts, and local partners.
This expansion led to the birth of ClimAccelerator Tanzania, part of Climate-KIC's global program to catalyze systemic change through innovation. Since its inception, ClimAccelerator has supported over 300 Tanzanian innovators, each working on solutions to the country's environmental problems.
What Has Happened?
The impact of that evolution became evident in early March 2024, when the ClimAccelerator boot camp selected 10 Tanzanian green startups for further support. These companies, chosen from a pool of 14 participants, impressed independent judges with their innovative approaches to sustainability. Their activities are summarized below.
Africa Harvest: Transforming coconut husks into fertilizer
Coastal Biotech: Converting seaweed into agricultural products
LIMA Africa: Turning food waste into feed and fertilizer
EcoMilk Technologies: Developing a solar-powered milking machine.
Moto Poa: Creating eco-friendly charcoal from rice husks.
GET Robotics: Focusing on agricultural automation.
Flamingo Foods: Innovating in rice production.
Makonda Renewables: Designing a wave-powered irrigation pump
These startups indicate the wide range of solutions that can emerge from Tanzania's new generation of founders. They are focusing on critical issues such as waste management, renewable energy, and agricultural productivity.
A New Chapter
Yesterday, ClimAccelerator Tanzania entered a new phase. Smart Lab, a six-year-old innovation hub in Dar es Salaam, teamed up with Climate-KIC to launch the program's second edition. This partnership combines Smart Lab's extensive local knowledge and network of Tanzanian entrepreneurs with Climate-KIC's global expertise and resources.
The new ClimAccelerator provides a structured pathway for innovators, as shown below.
A 45-day application window for aspiring eco-entrepreneurs.
A strict 12-day selection process to identify the most promising ideas.
Starting in January, months of intensive training and business development support for chosen startups.
Each venture in the new cohort will receive up to EUR 4,000.
Larry Ayo, Business Director at SmartLab, said the collaboration aims to bridge skills and innovation gaps in climate adaptation and resilience solutions. He emphasized their focus on rural communities, where these interventions are most needed.
Sophie White from Climate-KIC believes Tanzania could become a leader in East Africa for new environmental technology. This aligns with Climate-KIC's global vision of promoting local innovations that can be scaled up to address global climate challenges.
The Economic Opportunity
Smart Lab and Climate-KIC’s focus on environmental entrepreneurship goes beyond addressing climate change. It can create a new engine for Tanzania's economy.
Statista values the global climate technology market at over $20.3 billion. Tanzania is positioning itself to capture a share of that upside by sustaining local startups in this space.
Moreover, these innovations address pressing local needs. Imagine new types of crops that can grow even when the rain is late, or new ways to get clean water and power to villages. These are the kinds of ideas ClimAccelerator is helping to grow and scale.
Challenges and Opportunities
Historically, most venture capital (VC) for climate projects has gone to other parts of the world. (Europe: 42%, the United States: 27%, and China: 17%, according to 2023 data).
Between 2013 and 2019, only 0.2% of global climate tech VC deals went to African startups. ClimAccelerator aims to change that by bringing more support to Tanzanian ideas. It is part of a larger effort to ensure that climate innovation funding reaches the hardest-hit regions, such as East Africa.
The success of startups from the first cohort shows that Tanzanian entrepreneurs are ready to take on these challenges and create solutions that work for their communities.
I believe that as the program grows, it could well be the catalyst that transforms Tanzania from a climate change victim into a climate innovation leader.
will continue to track not only the number of startups supported or funds raised, but also the tangible impact on climate resilience in rural and urban communities.Karibu!
Loved this read, asante sana!