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The Problem Refugee and new migrant women in Australia face significant barriers to employment, including limited English proficiency, lack of local work experience, cultural challenges, and lack of social networks. Only 20% of women from refugee backgrounds are employed in the Australian workforce. Additionally, Australia’s fashion and textile industries have declined, with local production limited by offshore manufacturing and the rise of fast fashion. This creates a need for ethical, sustainable alternatives that prioritize social impact. The Social Outfit team member The Social Outfit’s Solution The Social Outfit, a Sydney-based non-profit and social enterprise, addresses these challenges by providing training, employment, and career pathways for refugee and new migrant women in the fashion industry. Through community sewing classes hosted by House of Welcome, a nine-week industrial sewing course, and the paid Earn and Learn program, women develop skills in sewing, financial literacy, and repair techniques. The organization also offers a retail training program that provides customer service and retail training. By employing these women to create ethical, locally made clothing using donated fabrics from Australian brands, The Social Outfit fosters a circular fashion model that supports both social and environmental sustainability. Impact Achieved Since its founding in 2012, The Social Outfit has trained over 1,000 refugees and new migrants, employing more than 100, with 86% transitioning to further employment and 82% securing their first Australian job through the organization. Success stories include Kobra, now a community coordinator, Fezeh, a sewing class tutor, and Xiuyan Han, a senior sewing technician who crafted a suit for Australia's Governor-General Sam Mostyn’s swearing-in ceremony in July 2025. Partnerships with brands like Epson and events like the Wear the Change fundraiser during Refugee Week have amplified its reach, supporting social well-being, skill development, and financial independence. The Social Outfit team member Why It’s Innovative The Social Outfit’s model is innovative because it combines ethical fashion with social impact, addressing both employment barriers for refugee women and the environmental toll of fast fashion. Its circular approach—reusing donated fabrics and prioritizing local production—sets it apart in an industry dominated by offshore manufacturing. The organization’s multi-tiered programs, from community sewing classes to paid work experience and retail training, create tailored pathways for women at different stages of their career journeys. The Social Outfit Store Areas for Improvement Despite its success, The Social Outfit faces challenges in scaling its impact. Limited capacity and funding restrict its ability to employ all program graduates, with some women unable to secure ongoing roles within the organization. While efforts are underway to transition participants to external employment, this process is not always successful, highlighting the need for stronger industry partnerships to create more job opportunities. The waitlist for community sewing classes indicates high demand, suggesting a need for expanded resources and facilities. Additionally, increasing awareness of The Social Outfit’s mission and products could further drive commercial growth, ensuring long-term sustainability and broader social impact. Sources: https://www.broadsheet.com.au/sydney/fashion/article/sydney-social-enterprise-social-outfit-celebrates-ten-years-fashioning-change https://eluxemagazine.com/fashion/feminist-fashion-brands/ https://www.smartcompany.com.au/retail/governor-general-sam-mostyn-the-social-outfit-suit-australian-fashion-swearing-in-ceremony/ https://womensagenda.com.au/latest/appointments/amy-low-appointed-ceo-of-ethical-fashion-brand-the-social-outfit/

Today over 100 million people are displaced due to war, disease, and climate change. Aline Sara, co-founder and CEO of NaTakallam, is addressing the lack of opportunity for refugees. With her background in journalism, human rights, and conflict resolution, Sara has built an innovative social enterprise that leverages the gig economy to connect refugees with global opportunities, creating sustainable income and cross-cultural understanding. Aline Sara, Founder of NaTakallam What is the problem? Global displacement is a growing crisis, with projections estimating that 150 million individuals will be displaced by 2050. Refugees often face a wide array of barriers, including the inability to get work permits and social isolation. This exclusion not only limits their financial independence but also perpetuates negative narratives about their future potential. The need for sustainable, dignified solutions to empower these communities is urgent. What is the solution? NaTakallam, meaning “We Speak” in Arabic, is an online platform that hires displaced and conflict-affected individuals as language tutors, teachers, and translators. By connecting them with language learners worldwide, NaTakallam provides stable income (ranging from $11 to $70 per session) and also tackles social isolation.  NaTakallam online learning The platform supports nine languages, including Arabic, Persian, Spanish, and French, and serves individuals, schools, universities, and NGOs. Through partnerships with institutions like Cornell University and New York University, NaTakallam offers structured curricula, translation services, and cultural exchange programs, all powered by an independent platform with plans for app development and AI integration. What is the NaTakallam impact? Since its inception in 2015, NaTakallam has distributed over $3.2 million in self-earned income to more than 500 language partners, impacting 16,000 users across 110 countries and 300 organizations. Beyond financial empowerment, the platform fosters meaningful connections, allowing refugees to share their culture and stories, which helps to reshape global perceptions.  Why It’s Innovative NaTakallam’s model is groundbreaking because it leverages the digital economy, allowing refugees to bypass traditional barriers such as work permits and earn an income from anywhere they can access an Internet connection.  By leveraging their linguistic and cultural expertise, the platform empowers refugees to transition from aid recipients to active contributors, promoting dignity and agency. Its client-funded approach ensures sustainability, while partnerships with academic institutions and NGOs amplify its reach.  What Needs to Improve Despite its success, NaTakallam faces challenges in scaling its operations to meet growing demand, particularly with rising global displacement. The platform’s user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) require ongoing enhancements to improve accessibility and efficiency, especially as it transitions to a mobile app. Integrating AI to streamline matching processes and personalize learning could further boost impact but requires significant investment. Additionally, expanding language offerings and reaching more underserved refugee populations, such as those in remote areas with limited internet access, remains a hurdle. Securing consistent funding to support these improvements while maintaining affordability for users is critical. Sources: https://solve.mit.edu/solutions/85143 https://www.vitalvoices.org/fellow/aline-sara-3/ https://www.arabnews.com/node/2332981/media https://www.arabnews.com/node/2587246/media https://www.cartierwomensinitiative.com/fellow/aline-sara https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lt3wONA2sgA

Kwely, a Senegalese startup founded in 2020 by Birame Sock, is a B2B e-commerce platform that promotes and sells Made-in-Africa products to the global market. Kwely aims to transform the world's perception of African goods globally, offering products such as organic snacks, beverages, cosmetics, and textiles. Problem It Addresses The company addresses a critical challenge faced by African manufacturers, particularly small and medium-sized businesses, which struggle to access international markets due to inadequate branding, substandard packaging, and limited connections with global buyers. Birame Sock, Founder of Kwely The Kwely Solution Kwely’s approach is multifaceted, with strategies that empower African producers to succeed. The company has built a digital platform that connects African businesses with global buyers, enabling seamless wholesale transactions for products such as organic snacks, beverages, and skincare items. Additionally, Kwely operates a packaging studio that provides filling, packaging, and labeling services, ensuring compliance with stringent international standards, such as those set by the United States Food and Drug Administration. Through initiatives like the TEKKI Challenge, launched in Senegal in 2021, Kwely collaborates with local enterprises to refine their branding, packaging, and market strategies, helping them achieve export-ready status. By positioning Made-in-Africa products in major global retail outlets, hotels, airports, and specialty stores, Kwely amplifies its reach and establishes a strong presence in international markets. Why It’s Innovative Unlike traditional distribution models, Kwely acts as a catalyst by leveraging a digital B2B platform tailored to Africa’s artisan-driven economies, drawing inspiration from platforms like Alibaba. The company addresses a critical gap in the African export market by offering end-to-end support, from product development to compliance with global standards. Kwely’s commitment to inclusivity, particularly through empowering women-led businesses, aligns with the goals of investors like WIC Capital. Furthermore, initiatives like the TEKKI Challenge demonstrate Kwely’s forward-thinking approach to co-developing export-ready brands, ensuring they are scalable and competitive on the world stage. Impact of Kwely The impact of Kwely is far-reaching. By supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, which form the backbone of African economies, Kwely fosters inclusive economic growth and uplifts entire communities. The platform has validated over two hundred product SKUs and successfully placed Made-in-Africa goods in global retail channels, creating new revenue streams for producers and challenging stereotypes about African craftsmanship. Kwely’s achievements, including winning the MEST Africa Challenge and securing significant funding, underscore its role as a trailblazer in African e-commerce, paving the way for a new era of global recognition for African products. Areas for Improvement Despite its success, Kwely could benefit from scaling its operations by expanding its supplier network and product portfolio across more African countries to increase its market presence. The B2B platform needs further development to handle larger transaction volumes and enhance the user experience for international buyers. Strengthening logistics and supply chain networks is also essential to ensure timely and cost-effective delivery to global markets. Additionally, Kwely must invest in more robust marketing efforts to raise awareness among global buyers about the quality and uniqueness of Made-in-Africa products. Finally, securing additional funding will be crucial to support the growth of the packaging studio, platform enhancements, and broader market expansion. Kwely is changing the African e-commerce landscape by empowering local producers to compete on a global scale. Its innovative combination of technology, packaging solutions, and brand development addresses critical barriers faced by African small and medium-sized enterprises, driving economic growth and redefining global perceptions of African products. With continued investment in technology, logistics, and market outreach, Kwely is well-positioned to become the leading B2B platform for Made-in-Africa goods, making African craftsmanship a celebrated staple in international markets. Sources: https://www.wearetech.africa/en/fils-uk/solutions/senegal-kwely-dreams-of-becoming-the-african-alibaba https://disruptafrica.com/2022/12/21/senegalese-startup-kwely-launches-made-in-africa-marketplace/ https://www.afdb.org/en/podcast/showcasing-african-products-international-market-66254 https://shoppeblack.us/kwely-empowering-africas-exporters-in-a-250-billion-market/ https://www.techinafrica.com/senegalese-startup-kwely-receives-investment-to-support-international-growth/

Monika Tomecka, a geneticist with a PhD from the University of Sheffield, co-founded uFraction8 in 2017 with Brian Miller, a microfluidics expert (who understands how fluids operate at a really small scale), to tackle inefficiencies in biomanufacturing. The company’s mission is to make biomanufacturing—producing products such as lab-grown meat, biopharmaceuticals, and microalgae-based products—more efficient, affordable, and environmentally friendly. What is the problem? The problem that uFraction8 targets is the high cost, energy waste, and low efficiency of traditional filtration methods used in biomanufacturing. Processes like making lab-grown meat or biopharmaceuticals rely on separating tiny biological particles, such as cells or proteins, from liquids. Conventional methods, such as centrifugation or membrane filtration, are slow, energy-intensive, and often result in the loss of valuable material during the process. For example, centrifugation can damage delicate cells, reducing yields, while traditional filters clog easily, necessitating frequent replacement and increasing costs. These inefficiencies make it challenging for industries to scale up sustainable alternatives, such as cultivated meat, which uses 96% less water and 90% less land than livestock, but struggles to compete with traditional agriculture due to high production costs. uFraction 8's LFB technology What is the solution? uFraction8’s solution is a microfluidics-based filtration system called the Laminar Flow Bioreactor (LFB). Unlike traditional methods that rely on spinning machines or porous membranes, the LFB uses precisely engineered microchannels to guide liquid through a continuous flow. This setup separates cells or particles based on their size and density without damaging them, achieving up to 10 times higher yields and using 75% less energy than conventional systems. The technology is scalable, meaning it is suitable for both small laboratory experiments and large industrial setups. It’s also versatile, handling a range of biomaterials, such as yeast for brewing, microalgae for biofuels, or cells for lab-grown meat. The system’s design enables it to run continuously, eliminating the downtime and clogging issues associated with older methods. Why is it innovative? What makes uFraction8 so innovative is its leap beyond traditional filtration. By adapting microfluidics—originally a lab-scale technology for manipulating tiny fluid volumes—for industrial use, uFraction8 has created a system that’s both high-precision and practical for large-scale production. The LFB’s ability to maintain cell integrity while cutting energy use sets it apart in industries where sustainability and cost are critical. The company’s focus on circular bioprocessing, where waste is minimized and resources are reused, aligns with global demands for greener manufacturing. Patents granted in the EU, US, and Japan protect this technology, ensuring uFraction8’s competitive edge. Filtrated product What is the impact? The impact of uFraction8 is already notable. Since its founding, the company has raised €7.1 million, including €4.1 million in 2025 from investors such as Foresight Group and Old College Capital, as well as receiving grants from Horizon 2020 and Innovate UK. This funding has enabled uFraction8 to test its technology in real-world applications, such as producing cultivated meat and biopharmaceuticals, which could reduce reliance on environmentally damaging livestock farming. The company’s work supports global food security, as lab-grown meat could address projected food shortages by 2030. uFraction8 has won eight national startup awards and was named a “One to Watch” by Nature Spinoff, signaling its growing reputation and recognition. Its collaboration with institutions like Łódź University of Technology and its expansion into Poland show its commitment to scaling globally. What needs to improve? While its technology has been proven at smaller scales, fully integrating it into large industrial systems remains a significant challenge. The 2025 funding aims to bridge this gap, but widespread adoption will require convincing conservative industries to adopt new methods. The upfront cost of installing uFraction8’s systems could deter smaller companies, so developing more cost-effective models or financing options might be necessary. Additionally, while the technology is versatile, it needs further testing across diverse biomaterials to ensure reliability for niche applications. Ultimately, uFraction8 could benefit from more substantial marketing efforts to raise awareness among potential clients in emerging fields such as synthetic biology. Under Tomecka’s leadership, the company is transforming biomanufacturing with a groundbreaking filtration system that’s efficient, sustainable, and scalable. While its impact is already significant, overcoming adoption hurdles and expanding applications will be essential to realizing its full potential. Sources: https://www.cartierwomensinitiative.com/fellow/monika-tomecka https://www.foresight.group/news/pioneering-continuous-bio-separation-technology-company-ufraction8-closes-34m-seed-funding-round https://eic.eismea.eu/community/stories/stories-eic-funded-ufraction8-secured-over-ps25-million-commercialisation-its-biotech https://www.eitfood.eu/news/eit-food-accelerator-network-alum-ufraction8-secures-over-2-5million-to-scale-sustainable-and-affordable-bio-manufacturing-systems

What is the problem? Senegal relies on 90% imported baby food that is not specific to local tastes. Relying on imported food makes nutrition costly and less accessible. As a result, infant malnutrition affects 20% of children under five due to limited dietary variety and poor nutrition in the first 1,000 days.  Le Lionceau baby food What is the solution? Le Lionceau, founded by Siny Samba and Rémi Filastò, produces affordable, 100% locally sourced baby food, including purées, infant flour, cereals, and biscuits, using nutrient-rich African crops such as mil, fonio, baobab fruit, moringa, and niébé. It partners with over 5,000 local farmers and empowers over 500 women. These women work in supply chain roles, teach nutrition workshops, and help distribute products in supermarkets, gas stations, and via online subscription.  Why is it innovative? Le Lionceau is Senegal’s first baby food brand to exclusively use indigenous crops exclusively, reducing import dependency and promoting biodiversity. It transforms agricultural byproducts, such as mango waste, into high-value, nutrient-dense products tailored to local tastes, unlike generic, imported formulas. The shift from artisanal to semi-industrial production, with a capacity of 500 jars and 1,000 flour packets daily, enhances productivity. Its socially-driven agribusiness model integrates smallholder farmers and women, combining profit with purpose to address malnutrition sustainably. Siny Samba, Founder of Le Lionceau What is the impact to date? Le Lionceau addresses infant health with nutrient-rich, affordable baby food, reducing malnutrition in the first 1,000 days. It supports over 5,000 farmers, boosting rural incomes, and employs 25 staff, with a focus on empowering over 500 women through supply and education roles. Since 2018, sales have quadrupled, capturing a growing share of Senegal’s baby food market, with products now widely available in urban areas and plans in place for expansion into the Ivory Coast and Ghana. Repurposing agricultural waste promotes sustainability and food security. Le Lionceau has won awards, including the 2016 Meet Africa and 2018 HUB Africa 2nd prize, as well as support from I&P Acceleration in Sahel and Teranga Capital, which validates its model. Le Lionceau is empowering local women What needs to be improved? Securing a consistent supply of high-quality local ingredients is challenging due to variable agricultural yields and limited processing infrastructure. Reliance on imported packaging from France or Italy increases costs and environmental impact. The company needs local or sustainable packaging solutions. The company needs to partner with NGOs or government programs as rural outreach is limited, where malnutrition is most severe. Scaling across West Africa poses complex regulatory and logistical barriers, demanding robust market research and infrastructure for its franchise or export model. Further cost reductions through local innovations or economies of scale are needed to reach lower-income families. Sources: https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-africa-59208330   https://www.lionessesofafrica.com/blog/2023/12/11/siny-samba-a-senegalese-social-entrepreneur-combatting-malnutrition https://www.cartierwomensinitiative.com/fellow/siny-samba https://le-lionceau.com/pioneering-child-nutrition-made-in-senegal/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/daphneewingchow/2024/09/11/african-indigenous-crops-fuel-a-growing-food-business-boom/ https://www.howwemadeitinafrica.com/entrepreneur-builds-locally-made-baby-food-brand-in-senegal/141332/ https://face2faceafrica.com/article/meet-the-senegalese-woman-behind-the-first-baby-food-brand-100-made-in-senegal

Menstrual health and environmental sustainability are often discussed separately, but Asan Cup, a UK-based social enterprise, is tackling both with innovative solutions. Founded by Ira Guha, Asan Cup addresses period poverty and the environmental damage caused by disposable period products. Here’s a look at the problem Asan Cup is solving, its unique solution, why it’s innovative, its impact, and what still needs improvement. Users of the Asan Cup What Problem Is Asan Cup Solving? Globally, over 2 billion people menstruate, using an estimated 200 billion disposable pads and tampons annually. These products, often made up of up to 90% plastic, take 500–800 years to decompose, contributing to landfill waste, ocean pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions. In the UK alone, 2 billion period products are flushed yearly, clogging sewage systems and harming marine life. Additionally, period poverty, a lack of access to safe, affordable menstrual products, affects millions, particularly low-income women and girls, leading to missed school or work days and health issues like infections from poor-quality products. In India, for instance, period poverty results in an annual GDP loss of $87 billion due to absenteeism. How to use the Asan Cup Cultural taboos and limited awareness further exacerbate these issues, leaving the environmental and social impacts of period products largely unaddressed. Asan Cup aims to break this cycle by offering a sustainable alternative and raising awareness about menstrual health. What Is the Asan Cup Solution? Asan Cup offers a two-pronged solution: a reusable menstrual cup and a free period tracking app. Asan Menstrual Cup : Designed and patented at the Harvard Innovation Lab, the Asan Cup is made from medical-grade silicone, lasts up to 10 years, and replaces approximately 2,500 disposable pads or tampons per user. Its unique removal ring makes it easier to use compared to other cups. Priced at around ₹1,800 (roughly $22 USD), it’s a cost-effective alternative to the ₹30,000–35,000 spent on disposables over a decade. Asan’s “buy one, donate one” model ensures that for every cup sold, one is donated to a low-income woman, paired with menstrual health education to combat period poverty. Asan Period Tracker App : Launched recently with support from Innovate UK’s Unlocking Potential Award, this app allows users to track menstrual cycles, moods, symptoms, and environmental impact. It provides real-time data on savings, waste diverted from landfills, and CO2 emissions reduced by choosing sustainable period products, such as menstrual cups, discs, or period underwear. The app is free, prioritizes user privacy with anonymized data, and features a minimalistic interface designed by an all-female team. Ira Guha, Founder of Asan Cup Why Is the Solution Innovative? Asan Cup’s solution stands out for several reasons: Dual Focus on Health and Environment : Unlike most period tracking apps that focus solely on fertility, Asan’s app covers all phases of the menstrual cycle (follicular, ovulatory, luteal, and menstrual) and educates users about their health while highlighting the environmental impact of their product choices. This bridges a critical gap between menstrual health and sustainability. User-Centric Design : The Asan Cup’s patented removal ring addresses common usability issues, making it accessible to new users, including teens and rural women. The app’s intuitive design and privacy-first approach (no data sharing or in-app ads) cater to user needs in a market where paid analytics are common. Social Impact Integration : The “buy one, donate one” model, combined with education programs led by local health workers, ensures sustainable adoption in underserved communities. This approach tackles cultural barriers and builds trust, particularly in rural areas. Scalable Impact : By combining a physical product with a digital tool, Asan creates a holistic ecosystem that empowers users to make informed choices while scaling its social and environmental impact through partnerships and wholesale distribution. What Impact Has the Asan Cup Had? Since its launch in 2021, Asan Cup has made significant strides: Global Reach : Over 100,000 Asan Cups have been sold across 12 countries in Asia, Africa, the UK, and the EU, with plans to expand to the US, France, and Germany. Social Impact : Through its donation program, Asan has reached over 100,000 low-income women, including 30,000 in 100 villages in Bengaluru’s Kanakapura region, creating the world’s largest menstrual cup adoption program. In Malawi and Zanzibar, 5,000 and 2,000 cups have been distributed, respectively. These efforts have enabled women and girls to attend school and work during their periods, saving household costs and increasing productivity. Environmental Impact : Asan has prevented over 200,000 tonnes of landfill waste by replacing disposable products with reusable ones. Each cup averts the waste of 2,500 pads or tampons, significantly reducing plastic pollution and CO2 emissions. Recognition and Growth : Asan has won prestigious awards, including the Cartier Women’s Initiative Fellowship, Innovate UK Unlocking Potential Award, and Amazon Sustainability Accelerator. The company has tripled in growth, with an annual run rate of $500,000. App Adoption : The Asan Period Tracker app has garnered over 1,000 downloads shortly after launch, engaging its community of cup users and promoting menstrual health education. Testimonials from users highlight how the cup has eliminated health issues like rashes, reduced waste, and restored confidence by removing the fear of stains. What Needs to Be Improved? Despite its achievements, the Asan Cup faces challenges and areas for growth: Behavioral Change : Convincing women to switch from disposable products to reusable cups remains difficult due to cultural taboos, misinformation, and skepticism about insertable devices. Asan must continue its education campaigns, particularly in conservative regions, to normalize the use of menstrual cups. Scalability of Donations : While the “buy one, donate one” model is impactful, it’s insufficient to address the needs of millions of women facing period poverty. Expanding wholesale partnerships and securing more funding could help scale the donation program. App Enhancements : The app is in its early stages, and Guha plans to add an AI chatbot to answer health queries, which could improve user engagement. Expanding language options and accessibility features could also reach a more diverse user base. Market Expansion : Entering new markets, such as the US and EU, requires navigating regulatory hurdles and competition from established brands. Asan will need to strengthen its marketing and distribution strategies to compete effectively. Industry Resistance : Large manufacturers of disposable products have little incentive to promote reusables, limiting their visibility. Asan could advocate for policy changes to encourage the use of sustainable products in retail and public health systems. Sources: https://femtechinsider.com/asan-cup-launches-period-tracking-app-with-environmental-impact-features/ https://yourstory.com/herstory/2024/12/asan-period-tracking-app-free-insights-environmental-tracker https://www.sustainabletimes.co.uk/post/a-period-shouldn-t-cost-the-planet https://www.vogue.in/culture-and-living/content/ira-guha-is-helping-end-period-poverty-among-low-income-indian-women-asan-menstrual-cup https://www.maddyness.com/uk/2023/10/12/asan-cup-the-reusable-menstrual-cup-averting-the-waste-of-2500-tampons/ https://thebetterindia.com/351606/menstrual-cups-made-in-india-asan-cup-how-to-use-ira-guha-period-hygiene-for-rural-women-karnataka/

FreshSource, a B2B   farm-tech platform founded in 2018 by siblings Omar  and Farah  Emara, supplies 11 cities in Egypt. It connects farmers directly to restaurants and retailers. Its mission is to make the food supply chain more efficient and reduce waste. Since its founding, FreshSource has transported over 10,000 tonnes of produce and made 1,000 weekly deliveries. Siblings Omar  and Farah  Emara, Founders of FresSource What Is the Problem? Egypt' s agriculture  sector, which   contributes 11.3% to GDP and employs 28% of the country’s workforce, is   vulnerable to significant inefficiencies. Over half  of fresh produce is lost annually due to poor post-harvest handling, poor storage, and transportation issues, according to  Egypt’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). A chain of middlemen trims farmers' profits,   and   retailers and restaurants   are exposed   to   rising prices , which   inflate  consumer prices . Climate change and global supply chain volatility , such as wa rs and conflict , further squeeze  Egypt ' s food security, leading   to price hikes and shortages.  What Is the Solution? FreshSource eliminates middlemen  by linking farmers to businesses directly   through an online platform. It utilizes  data-driven analytics  for price   prediction  and optimization, reducing food loss to a   mere 2% compared to the national average of 45%. The platform manages the entire value chain, from sourcing to cold storage, packaging, and last-mile delivery, ensuring quality and consistency. Partnerships, like those with the Central Bank of Egypt, provide farmers with lower-interest financing, and a mobile app makes various types of food accessible to buyers. FreshSource Team Why Is It Innovative? FreshSource is the region' s first  tech-enabled fresh produce  platform, introducing digital solutions to a traditionally analog industry. Its unique use of data analytics for supply chain optimization and pricing results from 30 years of familial cold-chain logistics experience. By combining legacy expertise with new technology, FreshSource achieves a food loss percentage far below industry standards, enabling farmers to generate 20% additional revenue and businesses to save 15% on   expenses .  What Is the Impact? FreshSource has transformed Egypt's fresh produce market by serving a network of thousands of farmers and hundreds of buyers, including restaurants, hotels, and retailers across 11 cities . It empowers medium-scale farmers, increases their revenues , and reduces business costs, decreasing food prices.  FreshSource Delivery Box In 2022, FreshSource raised an undisclosed seven-figure seed investment from 4DX Ventures and Wamda. This funding is used to scale geographic expansion within Egypt, deploy new product features, and hire new employees. What Needs to Improve? Despite its success, FreshSource finds   it challenging  to   access   credible agricultural data, requiring heavy investment in proprietary research. Expansion to smaller farmers remains economically unviable  due to the expense of logistics. Cultural limitations , like gender biases in a male-dominated industry, are   also ongoing challenges for CEO Farah Emara. Staying   abreast   of  rapid technological advancements , like incorporating blockchain for traceability, and Egypt 's economic volatility, including inflation and currency devaluation, will require strategy and agility to stay   competitive . FreshSource is revolutionizing  Egypt ' s agricultural industry  by tackling inefficiencies using  technology and data. Its innovative approach fights food waste and farmers' exploitation and offers a blueprint for sustainable, replicable  agri-tech innovations across the MENA region. As it expands, filling data gaps and addressing cultural concerns  will be important   in  sustaining its revolutionary   impacts . Sources: https://thebenchmark.com.ng/freshsource-farah-emaras-rise-to-safegard-egypt-from-food-insecurity/#:~:text=With%20FreshSource%2C%20Farah%20Emara%20revolutionises%20Egypt's%20agri%2Dsupply%20chain%2C%20reducing%20food%20waste%2C%20and%20empowering%20farmers . https://africarenewal.un.org/en/magazine/streamlining-egypts-food-value-chain-through-technology https://enterprise.press/stories/2019/11/28/my-morning-routine-farah-emara-co-founder-and-ceo-of-freshsource-7266/ https://www.entrepreneur.com/en-ae/growth-strategies/cairo-based-agri-supply-chain-platform-freshsource-raises-a/421040 https://www.howwemadeitinafrica.com/entrepreneurs-seize-opportunity-in-egypts-fruit-and-veg-market/152258/ https://disruptafrica.com/2022/03/01/egyptian-agri-tech-startup-freshsource-raises-7-figure-seed-round/

Founded in 2017 by Iva Gumnishka, Humans in the Loop  tackles two major problems: fixing errors in AI data and creating steady jobs for people displaced by war or conflict. The Humans in the Loop Team The Problem: Bad AI Data and Lack of Work AI tools rely on human-tagged data, especially for tasks like recognizing images. But this data often lacks standards, leading to mistakes and bias. The people labeling the data are usually paid very little and have poor working conditions, with few chances to grow their careers. At the same time, more people than ever are being displaced by war and violence. In 2022, 103 million people were forced to leave their homes—a 15% increase from the year before, largely because of the war in Ukraine. Refugees face enormous challenges finding work, and typical aid programs only cover short-term needs. Humans in the Loop  connects these two issues by offering work to displaced people while helping fix problems in AI data. The Solution: Quality Data and Fair Jobs Humans in the Loop  provides data labeling services for clients in health, farming, conservation, and city planning. Tasks include tagging images, drawing objects, and checking AI results. The team includes over 250 people, mostly women from countries like Syria, Ukraine, Iraq, and Afghanistan, who work from home, are paid fairly, and learn useful digital skills. The Humans in the Loop process flow The company runs on a mixed model. A for-profit business provides the work, while a nonprofit offers training and job coaching. The company gives 25% of its profits to the nonprofit, creating a steady cycle of learning and earning. To keep things fair, Humans in the Loop  avoids harmful labels (like race or gender stereotypes) and doesn’t work with clients connected to weapons or unsafe AI. Iva started the project after volunteering at a refugee camp in Bulgaria and seeing how hard it was to find jobs. “The idea was to offer a simple job anyone could do so they could start earning right away,” she says. A partner in the AI space helped connect this need to the growing demand for people to check AI data, and a successful pilot led to the launch of Humans in the Loop . Iva Gumnishka, Founder Why It’s Different Humans in the Loop  stands out in three key ways: Two-Part Impact:  It improves AI data and provides real jobs beyond short-term aid. Ethical Approach:  It trains people carefully to avoid bias and follows clear rules to build safer AI. Sustainable System:  Its business and nonprofit support mix allows it to grow without relying on donations. With staff in countries like Bulgaria, it delivers consistent, high-quality work, often better than larger crowdwork platforms. Unlike other short-lived projects, its self-funding model has helped it last longer than many older efforts. What’s the Impact? Jobs & Income:  In 2023, the company hired 214 people, completed 162 projects, and paid out €421,795. Since 2017, it has given over $1 million to 952 people, mostly women, helping many achieve financial independence. Training:  220 people have learned digital, coding, and design skills to prepare for other jobs. Better AI:  Projects include medical research (320 articles annotated for TrialHub), environmental work (5,500 images annotated for Restor), and health scans (thermal images annotated for Kelvin Health). The “Doctors in the Loop” project brings 29 doctors into AI work for better health results. Global Reach:  It now operates in places like Syria, Ukraine, and Kenya, and plans to grow to 1,500 workers by 2024. What’s Next? To grow its impact, Humans in the Loop  is focused on: Reaching More People:  Better Internet and payment systems are needed in rural areas to help more workers. Improving Tools:  Adding real-time error-checking tools would help keep data quality high. Expanding in Healthcare:  The medical team could grow to meet the rising demand for medical AI annotation. Tracking Progress:  Following up with former workers could help show the program's long-term benefits. Humans in the Loop  is changing how AI data is crowdsourced while allowing displaced people to earn and learn. “There are so many people who need work,” says Iva. “We’ve been doing this for five years and we’re not planning to stop.” With more training, better tools, and the right partners, this project can grow even further, building a future where AI is fairer and more people have a way forward. Sources: https://migrant-integration.ec.europa.eu/integration-practice/humans-loop_en https://humansintheloop.org https://balkaninsight.com/2020/11/04/from-bulgaria-connecting-refugees-to-remote-ai-jobs-around-the-world/ https://www.cartierwomensinitiative.com/fellow/iva-gumnishka

In 2021, June Muchuku founded Plumbee Wholefoods in Kenya. It is a women-founded agro-processing company dedicated to eradicating childhood malnutrition. By partnering with women farmers, Plumbee provides nutritious, affordable, and tasty food for children while bolstering economic opportunities for women. June Muchuku and the Plumbee team What is the problem? In Kenya, one in four schoolchildren is chronically undernourished due to poor access to healthy and affordable food. This results in higher child mortality, poor school performance, and lower economic productivity. Poor families, especially those in rural areas, cannot afford nutrient-dense foods, leading to their lack of essential nutrients like iron and vitamin A. What is the Plumbee solution? Plumbee addresses malnutrition from two angles. First, Plumbee produces low-cost, high-quality foods such as porridge and organic flours from locally grown ingredients and traditional African flavors that are culturally unique and address targeted nutritional deficiencies. Plumbee food scientists Second, Plumbee employs and trains low-income women farmers to grow and produce the necessary ingredients, integrating the female farmers into the value chain. Through a rigorous five-week training program in farming, finance, and food processing, women gain skills to earn twice what they do in traditional farming. Why is Plumbee Innovative? Plumbee's model is unique in that it combines economic empowerment and healthy eating. Utilizing local crops and native flavors, food production is inexpensive and culturally appealing. The cooperative model positions women at the center of the value chain, overcoming gender inequalities in agriculture while combating childhood malnutrition. The use of solar dryers to process grains further introduces a sustainable dimension to its activities. What is the impact to date? Since its inception, Plumbee has fed 80,000 needy Kenyan children nutritious foods, comparable to more expensive foods like milk and eggs. The company has trained over 100 women farmers in essential skills and purchased approximately $18,500 worth of raw materials, a significant figure given Kenya's average annual per capita wage of roughly $2,000. Beyond this, Plumbee has developed leadership and advocacy skills among women, enhancing confidence and community resilience. Plumbee food products What needs to improve? Plumbee should extend beyond Kenya to reach more African countries to boost its impact. Investment in processing plants and solar dryer machinery would enhance operating efficiency. Additional funding and training are needed for business growth. In addition, distribution channel expansion would improve access to remote communities. Plumbee is reimagining the fight against childhood malnutrition in Kenya through healthy, affordable food and empowering low-income women farmers. It's an innovative, woman-driven approach that tackles nutritional and economic challenges simultaneously, a sustainable model for transformation. As it expands, constructs more facilities, and reaches more capital, Plumbee can be a prime driver of fighting malnutrition in Africa and ensuring that every child has a healthy start. Sources: https://www.cartierwomensinitiative.com/fellow/june-muchuku https://www.tonyelumelufoundation.org/women-entrepreneurship-for-africa/agriculture-2/plumbee-wholefoods-ltd   https://www.plumbee.africa/ https://www.oacps.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Kenya.pdf https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oVvPDMKMLk

Solid ' Africa, founded   by Rwandan social entrepreneur  Isabelle Kamariza, fights food insecurity by delivering   wholesome , affordable   food to hospital patients, students, and factory employees .  Boy eating Solid' Africa meal Through its farm-to-fork model, it offers  fresh, locally grown  food while investing   in sustainable agriculture and nutrition training . Internationally  recognized with prestigious awards like the 2024 Waislitz Global Citizen Disruptor Award and the 2024 Elevate Prize, Solid' Africa is disrupting   the   response   to  nutrition  in hospitals, schools, and factories . What is the problem? Rwanda ' s community health system   pays   for medical care but not  hospital meals. For nearly 30% of Rwandans in poverty who earn less than $2 a day, hospital meals costing  $0.80 to $2 are too expensive , leading to malnutrition ,   impeding   healing,  and undermining dignity. Similarly, school meals are   usually   monotonous , revolving   around outdated, starch-heavy diets that fall   short   of nutritional needs. Ribbon cutting of the new industrial kitchen What is the solution? Solid ' Africa’s  industrial kitchen serves  20,000 meals daily   to hospitals, schools, and factories at prices   ranging   from   $0.20 to $0.40 per meal. By producing 50% of its fresh produce, it keeps   costs   low and quality  high . Solid'Africa  provides free meals to poor patients and subsidized meals to paying   patients, reinvesting profits to sustain operations. It is also opening the Institute of Culinary Arts and Nutrition to educate chefs and nutritionists. It partners  with Rwanda 's Ministry of Education to feed 8,000 students, with plans for a kitchen that produces 100,000 meals per day . Why is it innovative? Solid ' Africa ' s farm-to-fork model owns 50% of its supply chain, saving costs and guaranteeing  fresh ingredients while utilizing  waste to produce fertilizer. Launched in 2025 at Kigali’s CHUK hospital, Rwanda’s first industrial kitchen enables high-volume, low-cost meal production. Nutrition education through the Institute and community programs empowers cooks and patients to prepare balanced, culturally relevant meals. Public-private partnerships with the Ministries of Health and Education integrate its model into public systems, ensuring scalability and sustainability. What is its impact? Serving 20,000 daily meals , including to 1,500 hospital patients and 8,000 school children , Solid ' Africa has provided over 6 million meals since its inception. Its affordable, nutritious food   accelerates   patients' recovery and improves their  well-being. The company   offers jobs through its kitchen and supports 4,500 cooperative farmers, boosting local economies. Transforming   eating habits in homes and institutions realizes nutrition security and equity. Solid' Africa team serving food What needs to improve? Competing for   talented  staff on   a   tight   budget remains an   issue , and more  funding may be   necessary   to bring in talent. Procurement must get more streamlined, and digital  innovation is needed to enhance  scalability. Plans are in place to grow more ingredients regionally , but  they require strategy and planning . Relying  on traditional donor funding jeopardizes  long-term sustainability; therefore,   diversifying funding  streams will be important . With ongoing  innovation and strategic alliances , Solid 'Africa is poised to transform how institutions address nutrition so   that no one goes hungry while they   heal or learn . Sources: https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/solidafricas-mission-to-secure-nutrition-for-all-a/ https://www.ktpress.rw/2025/01/with-the-power-of-prayer-and-government-support-solidafrica-launches-stenbock-kitchen/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/ashoka/2024/07/17/meet-the-team-putting-nutrition-at-the-center-of-hospital-care-in-rwanda/

SunSawang, a greentech social enterprise founded by Salinee Tavaranan in 2021, is transforming lives in the Myanmar-Thailand border area by providing renewable solar energy access to off-grid rural communities. With its headquarters in Tak province, it addresses energy poverty and sustainably empowers locals. Solar panel installation What is the problem? SunSawang addresses the electricity shortage in rural, forest villages off the national grid, where homes must use expensive, unhealthy kerosene or candles. More than 80% of solar systems installed by the government in 2004 collapsed because of poor maintenance, depriving the communities of continuous power. What is the solution? SunSawang offers home systems, lanterns, and lighting system maintenance fee-for-service. Low down payments (6-36 months) and five-year service plans reduce the cost of solar energy. Local people are hired and trained to sell, install, and service products, ensuring extended performance. SunSawang solar panel Why is SunSawang innovative? The model is affordable, sustainable, and community-empowering. By retrofitting existing solar installations, providing maintenance, and using local labor, SunSawang reduces costs and builds trust. Its gender-balanced leadership and finance scalability focus set it apart in addressing rural energy poverty. What is its impact? SunSawang has illuminated over 600 homes, 50 schools, and childcare facilities in Thailand and 200 medical clinics and schools in Myanmar. This has added evening hours, safety, education, and power to medical equipment. Customers’ income from evening productivity has increased by 25%, and employment has stimulated local economies. What needs to be improved? SunSawang faces the rapid evolution of solar technology and the lack of a recycling policy for panels and batteries in Thailand. Raising additional funds is crucial to scaling up operations and reaching more homes. Spreading more lower-cost product lines and addressing cross-border logistics for Myanmar would enhance accessibility. Solar Battery Configuration SunSawang's groundbreaking energy access model leads to sustainable change among off-grid communities in accordance with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. By simplifying its technological and funding models, SunSawang can further increase its transformative capability throughout the region. Sources: https://techround.co.uk/startups/10-new-startups-in-thailand/ https://www.cartierwomensinitiative.com/fellow/salinee-tavaranan https://thecsruniverse.com/articles/interview-with-salinee-hurley-director-bget-we-should-think-of-our-current-solutions-and-see-if-these-might-become-future-problems- https://seed.uno/enterprise-profiles/sunsawang-company-limited

Neil Padukone, Director NY Climate Exchange Director of Green Economic Transformation, New York Climate Exchange 1) What was your inspiration to work in climate? It’s twofold. The first thing is, no matter what people believe, changes are happening: wildfires aren't just striking California deserts, but reaching parks in Brooklyn; the Manhattan skyline turns orange not from the sun but from the smoke blocks it out more and more rainstorms bring the city to a standstill. That’s not even mentioning the harm to those around the city and world facing daily  air quality issues and food and water insecurity, and how those challenges aggregate up to civic and even international conflict. The second opportunity: beyond carbon reduction, there are important reasons to improve air quality and public health, such as how we generate energy, produce and distribute goods, our resiliency, and build resilience against disruption. These changes can mean employment, business development, growth, and innovation. Though climate change has always been in the ether throughout my lifetime, it came to the fore of my career while working on industrial strategy in NYC. In a city of skyscrapers, folks may not realize that 500,000 people work in manufacturing, transportation, construction, and infrastructure services, working behind the scenes to keep things running. But these industries keep things functioning daily and are the brass tacks of any climate response: greener products, cleaner logistics, efficient building, and renewable energy that don’t interrupt daily life. Helping these businesses and workforces transition their operations effectively means helping to transition the whole economy to a cleaner space. That promise was a big part of what excites me in this work. 2) What is your proudest accomplishment? Not a personal accomplishment per se, but ironically, a powerful moment in my career came during COVID-19. The foundations of our health, economic, and social systems had been upended, but leadership was failing, flailing, and driving us apart. Not only were people ill and dying, but others were also out of work and unable to pay for food, and supply chains had fallen out, presaging even scarier changes. Amidst all this, many of my colleagues across the NYC government came together to respond to food security challenges in what came to be called the "Food Czar Taskforce" under Kathryn Garcia. We set up a whole national information and alert system within days, developed working relationships across multiple sectors that traversed the city and country, plugged gaps in the food system, got people fed, got people protected with new PPE sources, kept people working, and even enhanced their work, helped keep businesses and farms afloat, and learned a ton  that informed the City’s food planning efforts going forward. In addition to the outcomes, how  it happened was super inspiring. Even though our standing, our salaries, and our promotions probably would not be affected by the work we did, everyone stepped up to leverage whatever connections and resources we had, relied on one another, and ignored titles, rank, and organizational divisions to get the job done; did everything without fanfare or even, in some cases, a new budget line, all while continuing our everyday work and undoubtedly carrying other burdens that the pandemic brought. It was an example of how work should happen, not just government work. 3) How did you get your first opportunity in your field? Before working in New York City, I was researching at a think tank in New Delhi, researching for a book I'd written called " Beyond South Asia " on Indian geopolitics. I learned a lot about how the climate change-induced melting of the Himalayan glaciers has already affected water resources and conflict in the region. But while there, I realized that many of the solutions to these challenges happen locally: transportation, land use, energy, and air quality. So, I returned to grad school to pivot into urban transport and economic development. Out of grad school, I got a job working in the NYC government, specifically an agency called the Economic Development Corporation (EDC). Its portfolio covers everything from freight to real estate to infrastructure, education, industry innovation, and economic analysis, a great way to learn quickly and build a professional network. I’d recommend that folks looking for interesting things to do and places to learn not overlook local government, wherever they may be. Waste management, water distribution, electricity generation, and goods movement are fundamentals of modern life and are hard to deliver without government coordination or management. However, the way all these basics are provided is foundational to addressing challenges like climate change. Are we burning coal or moving solar-powered electrons to power homes? Are we shipping on electric trains or diesel trucks? So much of that work happens and is guided by the public sector. Young (or less young!) people interested in making an impact and learning a lot should consider that. 4) Who has been your most significant influence? (e.g., mentors, books, leaders) I've been so blessed with many mentors and supporters before realizing they were supporters. There are too many to try to mention. But my grandmother just passed away at 98, so she's on my mind and has many stories worth telling. One is that when she was 16, she was taken out of school and married off. She agreed to care for her husband (my grandfather) but refused to be financially dependent. So, in the 1940s, India, against her family's wishes, commuted daily to the Bombay municipal building, held her head high even though she was one of the few women there, and returned home with her paycheck. Having that agency paved the way for her feisty independence in all walks of her life. The importance of the train in facilitating her mobility---physical but later financial and emotional---inspired much of how I thought about how good cities ought to be built. (To boot, transit is why New Yorkers emit just a 1/3 of the per capita carbon of the average American). So her story and so much more about her legacy are at my foundation, both personally and professionally. On the more prosaic side, a couple of books that have been meaningful to me were: Complexity: The Emerging Science at the Edge of Order and Chaos  by Mitchell Waldrop blew my mind in college. It shared stories of scientists across disciplines who were challenging the dominant approaches of the late 20th century, moving from static control systems to complex systems: dynamic, evolving networks that gain strength from interconnection. From a tactical perspective, it brought about the neural networks that came to influence AI (for better or worse). Producing Prosperity  by Willy Shih and Gary Pisano is technical, but it's an essential overview of how innovation happens. It’s a critical overview of how innovation happens—it’s not some genius coming up with an idea in a eureka moment and then brutes who produce it at scale. Still, innovations---it's not some genius coming up with an idea in a eureka moment and then brutes who produce it at scale; but innovation also comes from the iteration that comes from collaboration and from many attempts to create different things in different ways at different scales---and from attempts to improve how we make them. The focus is the physical manufacture of products, but it has implications for how we prioritize things in society, including by elevating "innovators" while neglecting "producers" or " maintainers . " Relatedly, Marianna Mazzucatto's The Entrepreneurial State   detailed how, though so many people deride government as uncreative, slow, and stodgy, all  the things we delight in today didn't initially come from Apple, Tesla, or Google alone---but from innovations sourced and catalyzed by NASA, Dept of Energy, ARPA, NIH, and other parts of the public sector. The Many Lives of Pauli Murray  - As both history and inspiration, I'd recommend this article about a truly unsung hero in American history. Pauli Murray wrote the legal foundations of the civil rights movement, co-founded the National Organization for Women, advancing the feminist movement, was the first Black woman vested as an Episcopal priest, and if the terminology had been around, might have identified as trans today, building the power of that community too. She is a fantastic person with a story that should be better known. She is also powerful evidence that you don’t have to be bombastic, have the greatest awareness, or even be at the center of everything to change the world many times. 5) What would you be if you could change one thing about the world? This is a big question! For now, I'll say this: I wish people (a) realized how awesome they are and (b) realized how awesome everyone is. Everyone has power, wisdom, intelligence, creativity, energy, and other gifts to share. But because people don't realize how fundamentally excellent they are, we have people who are either self-loathing and are afraid to tap into and perform at their full potential (they're scared to give the world the gift of themselves) or are insecure and self-centered, and compensate with arrogance, bringing other people down (smothering the world with too much of themselves). Neither allows people to access the amazing gifts that are and come from themselves and others. The musician Herbie Hancock put it more eloquently than I: "believe that all  people...already have the potential of being awakened to their infinite potential...their greatness...and recognize the greatness of others as human beings." If more people lived with confident humility rather than arrogant timidity, the world could be a more beautiful, kinder, and productive place.