Kilimo Fresh, a Tanzanian fresh foods marketplace, has won $50,000 equity investment for emerging the winner at the final of the MEST Africa Challenge 2020. Alongside the agritech startups, Kilimo Fresh won a spot in one of MEST’s incubators with access to our Africa-wide startup support network.
Kilimo Fresh is a fully-fledged distributor of fresh produce mainly fruits, vegetables and dry foods to hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, institutions, wholesalers and export markets; with a full range of conventional, organic and high quality produce grown by smallholder farmers from the rich soils of Southern, Northern Highlands of Tanzania and coastal regions. It was founded in 2018 by Baraka Chijenga.
For the win, Kilimo Fresh competed with 8 other country final winners from across Africa at a pitch competition held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 8 other startups are Gradely (Nigeria), Debo Engineering (Ethiopia), Fundisapp (Kenya), Bag Innovation (Rwanda), Oniocha Ltd (Ghana), Mousso Africa (Senegal), Tutoo+ (Côte d’Ivoire), and PopUpShopShop (South Africa).
The 9 startups that pitched at the final were judged by Jorn Lyseggen Founder & CEO, MEST, Andreata Muforo, Partner, TLcom Capital, Chris Lwanga, Senior Director Software Partnership, Microsoft and Teresa Mbagaya Founding Principal, Imaginable Futures.
Meanwhile, Bag innovation and Mousso Africa were runners-up and were chosen for their compelling mission and scalability and these startups will be joining the MEST Africa Community.
By popular vote, Debo Engineering was named the winner of the inaugural MEST Africa Challenge Community Choice Vote. The startup won a spot in one of MEST Africa’s incubators and access to its amazing community perks.
The MEST Africa Challenge is the first Pan-African pitch competition hosted by MEST, which gives applicants the opportunity to vie for a trip to Cape Town to pitch at the finals during the MEST Africa Summit and a chance at up to $50k in equity investment.
