WFP IGNITE SEED Innovation Programme

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) IGNITE Innovation Hub for Eastern Africa, CARE Denmark, DTU Skylab FoodLab and Circle Innovation, powered by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs are leading the IGNITE SEED Innovation Programme in East Africa to support entrepreneurial teams with research-backed ideas focused on innovating food systems with market validation and training support to launch these ideas in the market.

What the Program Offers

Selected teams will have access to the following benefits that will support them to validate their research-backed innovations that strengthen food systems.

Innovation Programme: Selected teams will participate in the IGNITE SEED Innovation programme for ten months and get access to our unique HCD Lab.
Innovation Lab: At the end of the HCD Lab, teams will pitch their validated prototype to a panel of experts after which they get access to an intensive business training
Business training: Participating teams will go through an intensive 4 months entrepreneurship and business training
Mentorship: Participating teams will be linked with a mentor and industry expert to guide them through setting up formal systems for their ventures.
Networking: Participating teams will get exposure to the rich WFP and implementing partner networks that can help their ideas to the next level.

What we are looking for

Ideas that addressed food security and had the potential of improving climate resilience for local communities so they can:

Eligibility Criteria

The evaluation process for the IGNITE SEED Innovation programme was based on the following criteria:

Research backed: The problem or idea is supported by documented research
Food systems: The idea had to be solving a challenge within the food systems ecosystem
Level of innovation: The solution solves a food challenge in an innovative way
Impact: the solution has a strong impact on strengthening food systems
Team Composition: The team has the right experience and demonstrates commitment to their idea. The team includes a balance of gender.

Applications were reviewed by WFP Regional Bureau, our implementing partners, and external experts. While we were interested in applicants working to address food security and potentially improve climate resilience for local communities, preference was given to those who had research supporting their ideas.

Program Timeline

Selected Teams

Solutions that Improve local food production, quality, or nutrition:

Solutions that Increase access to water for productive use:

Solutions that Reduce or eliminate post-harvest loss or food waste:

Participant Progress & Impact Stories

Meet Rhea

The team has tackling access to affordable and timely soil testing for smallholder farmers by developing the Rhea AgriPad, an IoT soil testing device with ML fertilizer recommendations. They have conducted over 2,000 farmer trainings and partnered with key organizations to offer soil health solutions. Currently, they are scaling to 33 counties in Kenya, enhancing their B2B2C model with agrovets, and pursuing product patents to revolutionize agricultural practices

Meet Umuntu Agrobiotics

The team has tackled the decline in soil health and productivity for Ugandan smallholder farmers by developing Umuntu EM, a liquid and powder solution that improves soil microbial content and plant resilience. They have conducted successful field trials, secured 2,065 preorders, and increased farmer yields up to threefold. Currently, they are scaling operations to serve 3 million farmers in East Africa, onboarding key partners, and securing funding from the Climate Innovation Fund to expand their reach and impact

Meet Safe Dish

The team has tackled inefficiencies in enset processing by developing a machine that is ten times more efficient, affordable, and hygienic, alongside fortified enset-based food products to enhance nutrition and shelf life. They have five machine orders, retail space at Wolkite University, and partnerships for R&D and production. Currently, they are empowering smallholder farmers and cooperatives, targeting Ethiopia’s 25 million enset-dependent households while scaling production to improve women’s working conditions and expand the reach of their innovative solutions.

Meet Abigri Solutions

The team has addressed the challenge of low agricultural productivity in Rwanda with an IoT-based precision farming system leveraging real-time data and AI. They have refined their solution to offer offline insights for soil assessment, fertilizer recommendations, and crop management. Abigri has engaged with farmers, launched workshops, and secured grants for expansion. Currently, they are scaling their impact, targeting increased food security and productivity for 1,000,000 smallholder farmers by 2026 while creating jobs and promoting sustainable farming practices.

Meet Nakuru Tubers

The team tackles the potato seed shortage in Kenya by producing climate-resilient minitubers through hydroponics and tissue culture, enhancing yields by up to 30%. They focus on training farmers, upgrading greenhouses, and leveraging a disease detection app. They have trained 200+ farmers and have been able to form partnerships since they started operations. Currently, they are establishing regional seed hubs and diversifying revenue streams, aiming to boost potato productivity and ensure sustainable farming practices.

Meet Cricket-2-Food

The team addresses malnutrition in Uganda with Nutrikie+, a line of cricket-enriched staple flours and peanut butters that improve protein and micronutrient intake. By refining their branding and prototyping with support from DTU, they made their products more market-friendly. Within their first month, they achieved sales, secured distribution centers, and raised initial funding. Now registered as a business, they are focusing on certification and scaling to serve schools, churches, and health organizations while piloting in new areas to combat undernutrition sustainably.

Meet Droughtsmart Solutions

Tackling drought and water scarcity in Kenya, the team developed Harvesthive, an IoT-powered irrigation system linked to a mobile app providing real-time water, pest, and soil health data. They transitioned from B2C to diverse user models, secured partnerships, and won recognition as Sustainable Digital Innovators. With plans to pilot their solution for 100 farmers, they aim to drive sustainable farming practices and improve yields. They project revenues of $128,000 by 2028 while targeting scalability and impact in water-scarce regions.

Meet Hydroponics Gardens Masaka

The team is empowering urban women in Uganda with affordable, modular hydroponic systems tailored for small spaces. Designed to tackle soil fertility decline, land scarcity, and food insecurity, their solution enables women to grow fresh, nutritious food at home. With 20 users onboard and business models for B2C and B2B markets, they’ve refined their systems for flexibility and ease of use. Partnering with Umuntu, they aim to impact 1,000 women by 2025

Meet Bion Organics

This team is combating fertilizer shortages and soil degradation in Ethiopia by offering eco-friendly organic fertilizers that restore soil health, enhance water retention, and increase crop yields. Through pilot testing and partnerships with colleges and startups, they have advanced from manual to machine-powered production. With 22 sales at exhibitions and 80 inquiries online, Bion Organics is gaining market traction. They aim to raise $75,700 to scale production, marketing, and equipment and project $57,000 in revenue in their first year.

Meet Sauti East Africa

They tackle market access challenges for East African smallholder farmers through a USSD/SMS-based market forecasting platform. Initially focused on farmers, they pivoted to targeting farmer-supporting organizations (FSOs) to boost reach and revenue. With two clients generating $40,000+, they provide AI-driven market intelligence, including price trends, forecasts, and logistics insights. By enhancing accessibility, user-friendliness, and FSO partnerships, they aim to scale their impact while maintaining financial sustainability

Meet Ablenee Energy Solutions

Addressing Ethiopia's fertilizer shortages, Ablenee developed a decentralized green ammonia production model using renewable energy. Initial insights revealed high fertilizer costs, shortages, and reliance on black markets. Despite challenges in funding green ammonia systems, they pivoted to producing Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) from agricultural waste as a stepping stone. Registered as a business, they target $80k annual revenue by supplying fertilizer to farmers and CNG to commercial vehicles. Currently, they seek to scale production, improve distribution, and achieve long-term sustainability.

Feedback & Testimonials

The Business Model Canvas session was transformative. It allowed us to visualise our revenue streams and map out a clear path for growth. This was a turning point for our venture.

IGNITE SEED Programme Participant.

We found the mentorship invaluable, especially in guiding our business strategy and helping us navigate challenges specific to our industry. The personalized advice and ongoing support made a significant difference in our growth trajectory.

IGNITE SEED Programme Participant.

We learned how to generate many ideas for hydroponics through ideation. Empathy helped us design from the client's perspective. Prototyping helped us come up with different garden designs meeting customer needs

Hydroponics Gardens Masaka (Uganda)

Throughout the coaching process, I observed significant growth in the teams. Initially, their approach was somewhat rigid, leaning on established methods without fully considering their limitations. However, as the coaching progressed, they became more agile and open to exploring different research techniques and ways of operation for the program and their business.

IGNITE SEED Programme Coach.

Demo Day was a transformative experience. It provided us with invaluable exposure to investors and industry experts, and their feedback has given us clear direction for refining our strategy. The networking opportunities and mentorship leading up to the event made all the difference in our confidence and delivery.