Top 5 Finalists Announced for AYuTe Africa Challenge Nigeria 2024; Grand Finale Set for June 27th

Heifer International Nigeria is pleased to announce the top 5 finalists of the AYuTe Africa Challenge Nigeria 2024, an enterprise development program designed to identify, nurture, and support innovative, technology-driven agric-centric enterprises in Nigeria.

The Agriculture, Youth, and Technology (AYuTe) Africa Challenge is an Africa-wide initiative by Heifer International that harnesses the boundless potential of youth, innovation, and entrepreneurship to address challenges faced by smallholder farmers and create solutions that can revolutionize the agriculture sector on the continent. Launched in 2021, the Challenge has witnessed tremendous response, and some of the winning solutions have created a real difference in the lives of smallholder farmers and Africa’s agriculture.

In 2024, Heifer International celebrates 80 years of supporting smallholder farmers globally and 50 years in Africa, creating and executing solutions in partnership with government, partners, and communities to improve the agricultural ecosystem across the continent. To commemorate these significant milestones, Heifer Nigeria is leveraging the AYuTe Challenge to inspire a new generation of young agripreneurs and innovators throughout Africa, driving a forward-looking vision for the next decades of agricultural transformation.

Through the AYuTe regional competition, Heifer International awards more than US$1 million each year to leading agritech innovators across Africa. National competitions in Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Senegal, and Uganda also award tens of thousands of US Dollars in each country.

The grand finale of the 2024 AYuTe Nigeria Challenge will convene young Nigerian innovators in the agriculture sector pitching their ideas as we seek to identify and reward the top performers with cash awards and technical support to scale their innovations. The event will be attended by a diverse audience, including key stakeholders from governments, the international development community, youth in agriculture, the media, as well as prominent figures from the private sector.

After a rigorous selection process, the finalists who will compete for the grand prize of up to $40,000 are:

• Pysis Technology
• Vet Connect
• Kayan Gona Agro
• Green Eden Farms
• Scratop Africa

These innovative startups have demonstrated exceptional potential in developing solutions that significantly impact smallholder farmers at scale. They will showcase their groundbreaking ideas and compete at the prestigious AYuTe grand finale, set to take place on Thursday, 27th of June, at Fraser Suites, Abuja.

"This year's finalists embody the innovative spirit and entrepreneurial drive that the AYuTe Africa Challenge aims to support," said Lekan Tobe, Interim Country Director at Heifer Nigeria. "We are thrilled to see these young entrepreneurs presenting solutions that could transform the agricultural sector and improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers across Nigeria."

Event Details:

Grand Finale Date: Thursday, 27th of June

Location: Fraser Suites, Abuja

Registration Link: https://lu.ma/5z9qu56u

The AYuTe Africa Challenge aims to empower early-stage and growth-stage youth-led agritech businesses/startups with innovative solutions that have a significant impact on smallholder farmers at scale. This year, the prize money has been increased from $20,000 to up to $40,000, reflecting our commitment to fostering innovation and positive impact in the agritech sector.

Key Highlights of the AYuTe Africa Challenge Nigeria 2024:

• Program Objective: To identify, nurture, and support innovative, technology-driven agric-centric enterprises in Nigeria, accelerating agritech entrepreneurship.
• Eligibility: Early-stage youth-led agritech businesses/companies with innovative solutions impacting smallholder farmers at scale.
• Prize Money: Increased from $20,000 up to $40,000.

For more information about the AYuTe Africa Challenge Nigeria 2024 and to follow the journey of the finalists, please visit https://ayute.africa/nigeria