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An agricultural startup from Tanzania has won this year MEST Africa Challenge. Kilimo Fresh Foods Africa LTD is an online platform that distributes fresh produce from small farmers to businesses.
As the winner of the challenge, Kilimo Fresh Foods Africa LTD has received $ 50,000 (+/- R832982.50) in equity investment funds from MEST and joined its prestigious incubator community.
Supporting local farmers
Kilimo Fresh Fresh Foods Africa LTD was founded in 2018 by Baraka Chijenga. The startup has worked to connect local small farmers with various businesses, including hotels, supermarkets, wholesalers, and export markets.
Using its platform, small farmers can display and outsource their products, including dry foods, vegetables, grains and fruits, to various companies in Tanzania.
The startup has worked with small farmers from the coastal regions as well as the northern and southern highlands of Tanzania to ensure that only high-quality and organic products are distributed.
MEST Africa Challenge
The MEST Africa Challenge started in May of this year with applications from tech entrepreneurs. Applications from countries such as Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Senegal and Rwanda were all well received.
To qualify, applicants had to be a software company and be in business for less than two years. The startup had to have raised $ 100,000 (+/- R1660550.00) or less since it was launched and had to continue to generate revenue.
The Tanzanian finalists were announced on July 8, 2020. The selected finalists included startups such as Flamingoo Foods Company Ltd, Smartwash Company Limited and Ngwala Inventions Limited.
The finalists presented their final release on August 12 of this year. Each of the finalists had the opportunity to present their business models to a global audience that included entrepreneurs, ecosystem players, investors and corporate partners.
South African MEST Finalist
The finalist winner from South Africa was the Popup Shop Store, a South African online platform that helps established and emerging retail companies find short-term leases for pop-up stores in retail locations.
The platform was founded in Cape Town in 2018 and has helped retail brands find locations in Johannesburg, Durban, Pretoria and Cape Town.
Read more: Seven African Tech Startups Receive Funding
Read more: Shift Fund reopens funding applications
Featured Image: Arnaldo Aldana via Unsplash
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