Seven startups recently showcased their technologies to tackle hunger and the climate crisis, at a global pitch event in Munich, Germany. Event winners will receive $100,000 in funding from the United Nations World Food Programme Innovation Accelerator.
Aumsat, Fonio, Blue Marble, Etherisc, Emerging Cooking Solutions project, MegaGas, and Africa GreenTec pitched their solutions to potential funders and partners. The innovations included food processing machines, solar-powered cooling storage units, agriculture insurance technology solutions, and emerging cooking solutions.
“For everybody who knows about climate science, it is clear that the world needs a lot more climate action,” said Bernhard Kowatsch, head of the World Food Programme Innovation Accelerator, in a statement. “Some of the most affected people by climate change are in developing countries, making the global food crisis even worse. At the WFP Innovation Accelerator, we believe that start-ups and innovations can play a key role in climate action and ending global hunger.”
The finalists collaborated with the Accelerator to improve their solutions, ensuring projects have the greatest possible impact on the world's 828 million hungry people.
Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Iraq, Kenya, Madagascar, Senegal, and Zambia are already testing the startup solutions presented. The most promising projects will be considered for the WFP Sprint Programme and receive funding, mentorship, and access to the organization’s global network of partners and field operations in 120 countries and territories.
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Image: World Food Programme