AgriTech4Egypt Innovation Challenge Innovation Teams Booklet The AgriTech4Egypt Innovation Challenge is organized as part of Powered by AgriTech4Egypt Innovation Challenge AgriTech4Egypt Innovation Challenge Innovation Teams Booklet The AgriTech4Egypt Innovation Challenge saw nearly a thousand applications across 48 different countries. After careful assessment of 241 eligible submissions and a rigorous interview selection process, 25 innovation teams were nominated by the Selection Committee to take part in the intensive 4-day bootcamp to be held on 10-13 June 2024 at SEKEM Guesthouse in Bilbeis, on the outskirts of Cairo. 14 Egyptian innovation teams and 11 international teams— including 5 CGIAR- led innovations— will meet to network, connect with CGIAR science and key players in Egypt’s agri-tech innovation scene, and take part in a series of interactive workshops, expert talks, and mentoring sessions to sharpen their Lean Canvas’ and pitch presentations, succeeding a guided farm visit. The bootcamp is meant to be an opportunity for innovators to deep dive into Egypt’s agriculture, refine their skills, and pitch their agri-tech solutions before a panel of experts from partner organizations, for a chance to secure one of the 15 spots on the upcoming acceleration program. This booklet presents the 25 innovation teams shortlisted for the bootcamp phase. 1 UGANDAMeet Afrotym AgriTech4Egypt Innovation Challenge Afrotym produces Waterbank, a pioneering organic soil moisture retainer developed from agricultural waste. Capable of absorbing and retaining adequate moisture in the soil for extended periods, Waterbank significantly reduces the need for constant irrigation in loose soils. NICHOLAS NAJUNA Chief Executive Officer PAUL TAMALE Product Development 2 https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-najuna-61174622b/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-tamale-72a44328a/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/afrotym https://afrotym.com/staging/ AgriTech4Egypt Innovation Challenge Meet Agrican Agrican revolutionizes Egyptian agriculture with advanced robotics and precision farming. By integrating sensors, drones, and AI analytics, Agrican provides precise data on soil health, pest management, and irrigation. This enhances productivity and sustainability, reduces waste, and boosts yields. The project also aims to reduce health impacts on workers, minimize harmful residues in crops, lower the carbon footprint, and decrease yield losses, creating positive environmental and health impacts while increasing profitability. ABD EL HAMID SHERIEF Sustainability Director SALEM NABIL Co-Founder EGYPT 3 https://www.linkedin.com/company/theflankers/ AgriTech4Egypt Innovation Challenge Meet Agrieagle AgriEagle is a sustainable smart integrated machine in irrigation powered by 33% solar panel efficiency, operating by AI and controlled remotely by IOT technology. MANAR TAHER EL-MORSY Biotechnologist MOHAMED YOUSSEF Renewable Energy Engineer EGYPT 4 https://www.linkedin.com/in/agri-eagle-9302162b3/ AgriTech4Egypt Innovation Challenge Meet AgroVisioners AgroVisioners is a revolutionary zero-carbon footprint farming system that leverages natural resources, alongside with cutting-edge AI and vertical farming technology. ANDREAS KLITOU Mechanical Engineer FOTEINI KLEANTHOUS Data Engineer CYPRUS 5 https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashetaia/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/anargyros-jerry-koliokostas-38b4148b/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/agrovisioners/ https://agrovisioners.com/ Meet Al Murunah Al Murunah is a community-led, business-backed platform for smallholder farmers, especially women and youth, to: diversify and sustainably intensify production with agroecological practices; build on local niche crops including artichokes and tap into new value chains; improve access to agricultural inputs and services, and valorize farm by-products; and gain improved access to finance through revolving loans and access to market through crop contracting with private sector (Mozar3) partners. EGYPT CGIARinnovation AgriTech4Egypt Innovation Challenge MIRJA MICHALSCHECK Scaling Lead RAGAA ELHARIRY Communication & Documentation officer 6 https://www.linkedin.com/in/mirjamichalscheck/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/iwmi/?originalSubdomain=lk https://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/ AgriTech4Egypt Innovation Challenge Meet Aqualife iFarms Aqualife iFarms is a tech start-up, reshaping aquaculture for food security and the benefit of people, profit, and the planet. The AquaSmart System uses sensors, controllers, and a mobile app for real-time water quality, feeding, and environmental monitoring. It aims to empower communities by collaborating with farmers, cooperatives, and governments. Training programs have equipped 30 farmers with sustainable techniques, boosting livelihoods and the local economy. MUBARAK AMINU Co-founder & COO SUFYAN BINYAMIN Founder & CEO NIGERIA 7 https://www.linkedin.com/company/aqualife-ifarms/ https://www.facebook.com/aqualifeifarms/ AgriTech4Egypt Innovation Challenge Meet CutiCoat CutiCoat revolutionizes post-harvest management with eco-friendly edible coatings, minimizing losses and promoting sustainability. Using active components from agricultural waste, our solutions extend shelf life, tackling long-distance travel and storage challenges. By enhancing resource efficiency and sustainable farming, we support farmers with cost-effective alternatives, reducing waste and building a resilient food system. SHARIF GAMAL Team Leader/CEO OMNYA ASHRAF Research & Development Specialist EGYPT 8 https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherif-gamal-8116bb8/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/cuticoat/about/ AgriTech4Egypt Innovation Challenge Meet Digital Farming and Precision Agriculture The innovation in Digital Farming and Precision Agriculture utilizes GPS-guided tractors and machinery to control input application, reducing waste and optimizing resource utilization through variable-rate application. LEAH ABRAHAM Team Leader PAULO MAGANGA Horticulturist TANZANIA 9 CGIARinnovation AgriTech4Egypt Innovation Challenge Meet Earth Observation for Water-Energy-Food Nexus (EO-WEF) Earth Observation for WEF nexus (EO-WEF) is a multi- sectorial information system that generates data for the different components of a generic nexus system. The application is powered by Google Earth Engine, a cloud computing platform that includes data archives of regularly updated earth observation and scientific datasets for more than 40 years. EO-WEF is developed with nexus thinking and aims at providing data in a user’s friendly manner. CUTHBERT TAGUTA Product Designer ZOLO ZIME ZINU SERGE KIALA GIS Specialist & Researcher SOUTH AFRICA 10 CGIARinnovation https://www.linkedin.com/in/cuthbert-taguta-60aa4832/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/tsitsi-bangira-a1004318/ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780323912235000113 AgriTech4Egypt Innovation Challenge Meet Ecobees Ecobees empowers beekeepers with smart monitoring devices via an IoT hive monitoring and an online marketplace for sustainable pollination and bee health. MOHAMED DHAOUAFI Chief Executive Officer MEJDA KHALED Co-founder & Textiles Engineer TUNISIA 11 https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohameddhaouafi/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/ecobees-tn/ https://www.ecobees.store/ AgriTech4Egypt Innovation Challenge Meet EcoPeel EcoPeel recycles banana peels into environmentally friendly materials such as nano-silica for construction and insulating coatings, organic fertilizers, biodegradable bags, and pulp paper using the latest modern technologies. EMAN AHMED Founder MERNA SAMY HALEEM Business Development EGYPT 12 CGIARinnovation AgriTech4Egypt Innovation Challenge Meet Everlend Agritech limited Everlend offers smallholder farmers first-generation cereal seeds on credit, with repayment after harvest. Acting as a marketplace, the platform connects farmers with buyers for fair prices and provides training in climate-friendly farming practices. EMMANUEL TWESIGYE CEO and Co-founder NUWAGIRA NICHOLAS Agronomist UGANDA 13 https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmanuel-t-630a17178/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/everlendug/ https://everlendug.com/ AgriTech4Egypt Innovation Challenge Meet Geneina Geneina utilizes large-scale data models and machine learning to analyze essential farming parameters such as temperature, lighting, and humidity. Geneina's strategy focuses on establishing a network of high-tech micro- farms that enhance its data collection, helping them to understand the complex interactions between these variables. ALAA KHATAB Agricultural Specialist SEIF SALAMA CEO EGYPT 14 https://www.linkedin.com/in/seifeldinsalama/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/geneina-green-systems/ AgriTech4Egypt Innovation Challenge Meet GeoAgro-MiSR GeoAgro-MiSR is a comprehensive digital solution that enables Egyptian small holder farmers achieve climate smartness, sustainable intensification and economic optimization under climate change and economic volatility. AJIT GOVIND Project Lead RANIA GAMAL Senior Research Assistant, soil, water and agronomy team EGYPT 15 CGIARinnovation https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajitgovind/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/rania-gamal-103073221/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/icarda/ https://icarda.org/media/news/geoagro-misr-digital-application-training-egypt AgriTech4Egypt Innovation Challenge Meet GRADE A PLUS Grade A Plus is dedicated to sustainability by upcycling sheep wool, reducing waste, and supporting local industries. Its SoilPlus pellets, derived from high-quality wool, enrich soil health for optimal crop growth. While blankets and roll insulation are in R&D, SoilPlus is ready for market, offering eco-friendly solutions for agriculture. CARL MASSAAD Sales JOCELYNE SAADE CEO - Procurement, Research & Development LEBANON 16 https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-massaad-177355a2/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jocelyne-saade-6b439060/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/grade-a-plus-sarl/ https://www.gradeaplus.net/ AgriTech4Egypt Innovation Challenge Meet IrWise IrWise utilizes cutting-edge technologies to enhance sustainable management of natural resources, smart farming, and precision agriculture. By integrating advanced hardware and software systems, IrWise aims to revolutionize how resources are utilized and managed, promoting environmental sustainability and economic efficiency. FOUED LOURAGINI Electronics Engineer MOHAMED MEKKI MAALEJ CEO TUNISIA 17 https://www.linkedin.com/company/irwise/ https://irwise.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-mekki/ AgriTech4Egypt Innovation Challenge Meet Kadry Group Kadry Group uses poultry feed additives that are healthy, organic, eco-friendly, locally-sourced, and 100% natural. These additives act as growth promoter, boosting growth by up to 50% and act as immunostimaulants without using chemicals or hormones. These are manufactured using the latest nanotechnology techniques. SARA ELDAKHLY Co-Founder & Technical Manager MOHAMMED MAHMOUD Clinical Specialist & Operations Manager EGYPT 18 Meet KIPITFRESH KIPITFRESH provides mobile solar powered cold storage systems for smallholder fruit farmers with a digitized platform that aggregates demand and supply allowing for B2B pre-orders. AgriTech4Egypt Innovation Challenge JACOB UGBODAGA Founder & CTO BREANNA OKWECHIME COO & Business Developer NIGERIA 19 https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-ugbodaga/ https://ng.linkedin.com/company/kipitfresh https://kipitfresh-79.webself.net/ AgriTech4Egypt Innovation Challenge Meet Lamarckii Lamarckii transforms traditional beekeeping with IoT remote sensors by leveraging Artificial intelligence, and Machine Learning for proactive hive health monitoring, management, and diseases detection, optimizing resource allocation, and maximizing efficiency. WALEED SALAM Team Leader YASSER IBRAHIM Technical Consultant EGYPT 20 https://www.linkedin.com/in/waleed-salam/ AgriTech4Egypt Innovation Challenge Meet Milkup Milkup is modern herd management platform for dairy and beef farm. Milkup aims to transform the way dairy and beef farms are managed into a much more efficient, productive, animal-friendly, and eco-friendly manner. MOHAMED NASSAR Co-Founder AHMED HAMAD Co-Founder EGYPT 21 https://www.linkedin.com/company/milkup/ https://milkup.io/ AgriTech4Egypt Innovation Challenge Meet Nina Energy Limited Nina Energy is an Ecuadorian start-up developing and deploying advanced thermochemical conversion systems for residual biomass across Latin America. Their proprietary technologies enable transforming agricultural and forestry residues into biochar for carbon sequestration, renewable energy production, and value- added biomaterials such as torrefied pellets MARIO HEREDIA CEO ANDRES NOVILLO COO ECUADOR 22 https://www.linkedin.com/in/mario-heredia-biomass/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/andres-novillo/ https://ec.linkedin.com/company/nina-energy https://nina.energy/ AgriTech4Egypt Innovation Challenge Meet OZ-TECH OZ-TECH introduces intelligent solutions to farmers and landowners through the development of farming robots and offering these products to the agricultural community as a financially accessible service. This aims to eliminate the impact of labor shortages on farmers in an economical and productive manner. MOHAMED HAMAD CTO AMR GAMAL CEO EGYPT 23 https://www.linkedin.com/in/amrgamal1/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohamed-hamad-001225140/ https://eg.linkedin.com/company/oz-agritech EGYPT AgriTech4Egypt Innovation Challenge Meet P-Vita P-Vita is a Biotech Hub that uses recycled agricultural waste to produce patented technologies for manufacturing raw materials in the food and beverage and cosmetics industries. MOHAMED TAREK CEO ZAINAB ELWAKEEL Environmental Engineer 24 https://www.linkedin.com/company/p-vita/ AgriTech4Egypt Innovation Challenge Meet RAI-TECH RAI-TECH is the first local manufacturer in Egypt for smart irrigation system with three main objectives: using less water, promoting green practices, and rescuing struggling crops while increasing yield quality through an automated irrigation process. MOHAMED SAMIR Software Engineer MOATAZ YOUSRI Business Development Manager EGYPT 25 https://www.linkedin.com/in/moataz-yousri-2092377b/ https://eg.linkedin.com/company/rai-tech-company AgriTech4Egypt Innovation Challenge Meet ZR3i.com ZR3i.com is a SaaS platform supporting smallholder farmers through digital technologies. It offers agricultural services such as climate data, soil analysis, and crop recommendations to enhance productivity, and connects farmers with financial services and government plans, aiming to make agriculture more efficient and data- driven . HAMED HOSNY Lecturer at the faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University YOUSSEF HARBY GIS & Remote Sensing Specialist EGYPT 26 https://www.linkedin.com/company/zr3icom/ https://www.zr3i.com/ Contact innovations@cgiar.org