FOUR START-UPS WIN THE 2025 ADAPTATION & RESILIENCE CLIMACCELERATOR

Ms. Sophie White, Senior Programme Manager, Innovation and Emerging Markets at Climate-KIC addresses the audience during the Demo Day at Hyatt Regency, Dar es Salaam, 3rd April 2025.

The Four successful StartUps, receiving their 10,000 Euros each after a giving out pitches during the demo day at Hyatt Regency, Dar es Salaam, 3rd April 2025.

Dar es Salaam, 3 April 2025: Climate-KIC, in collaboration with SmartLab, is thrilled to announce the winners of the 2025 Adaptation & Resilience ClimAccelerator Programme. Following a successful Demo Day, Rada 360, Mbegu Nzuri Biotech Farms, InsectUp, and HERVEG.05 emerged as the four selected for their innovative climate adaptation solutions, addressing critical challenges such as unpredictable climate risks for farmers, lack of access to climate-resilient seeds, poor organic waste management, and malnutrition in rural communities.

The Adaptation & Resilience ClimAccelerator supported 10 promising start-ups tackling climate adaptation and resilience across diverse sectors. These ventures are driving high-impact solutions that protect people, livelihoods, expert support, alongside valuable connections with investors and industry leaders to strengthen their climate-focused innovations. A defining feature of the program was the Adaptation and Resilience Innovation Assessment and Validation Process, developed by Climate-KIC. This rigorous framework equips start-ups with the tools to measure, validate, and communicate the impact of their climate solutions to potential investors. Through structured assessments, expert-led validation and investor-ready credentials, start-ups can strengthen their market positioning, ensuring their solutions not only innovate but also deliver tangible climate resilience benefits in Tanzania.

The program reached a significant milestone on 3 April 2025 with the Demo Day held at the Hyatt Regency in Dar es Salaam, where participating start-ups presented their solutions to a distinguished panel of judges. After an impressive showcase, four standout start-ups were selected as program winners, marking a pivotal step in their journey to scale climate resilience solutions for vulnerable communities across Tanzania.

These winning start-ups will receive €10,000 in funding, alongside ongoing mentorship and resources to accelerate their growth. Moving forward, they will enter the next stage of the program—real-world testing in rural communities—to further refine their solutions and assess their impact in the areas most affected by climate change. Testing in these settings ensures that solutions address the real challenges faced by those most vulnerable, maximizing both their effectiveness and long-term resilience.

Sophie White, Senior Programme Manager, Innovation and Emerging Markets at Climate-KIC, celebrated the success of the programme, stating: “Through the Adaptation & Resilience ClimAccelerator, we aim to provide start-ups with the knowledge and tools to measure the climate adaptation impact of their solutions while alsotesting them in real-world environments. By engaging directly with communities and undergoing a thorough impact assessment, these start-ups gain tangible credentials that resonate with investors and customers alike. We have witnessed incredible growth from these ventures and their solutions are well-positioned to create real impact”.

Laurian Mafuru, Program Associate at SmartLab, shared insights on the transition to the validation phase: “As these start-ups move forward, we’re excited to see their solutions tested in real-world conditions, demonstrating their scalability and effectiveness. This phase is essential for refining their innovations, ensuring they not only address urgent climate challenges but also enhance resilience in vulnerable communities. We believe the outcomes of this stage will pave the way for lasting, transformative impact”.

These start-ups are proving that climate adaptation solutions can go beyond economic growth to directly help communities in Tanzania cope with the impacts of climate change. By addressing real challenges such as water scarcity, food security, and environmental degradation, they are strengthening resilience where it is needed most.