Two Startups Win £2,000 at Kano Climate Hackathon

At the maiden climate innovation hackathon held in Kano, two startups emerged as winners, receiving a total prize of £2,000. Beta Agric Venture Ltd, founded by Adaora Akojuru, was awarded £1,000 for its innovative pitch focused on the value chain of fresh tomatoes, aimed at curbing post-harvest losses and ensuring year-round availability.

The runner-up, Herecospac, founded by Safiyya Daba, focused on upcycling and recycling tires into durable furniture. The hackathon was organized by Startup Kano, with support from the UK Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) as part of its PACE program.

Aisha Tofa, the Executive Director of Startup Kano, noted that the program was designed to nurture climate-focused enterprises by equipping them with tools and frameworks to secure competitive climate finance. Out of 120 applications, 12 startups were selected to participate in a six-week intensive boot camp to prepare their business ideas for market readiness and integrate ESG frameworks.