Keep It Cool, a pioneering Kenyan enterprise dedicated to sustainable innovation has been named one of the five winners of the prestigious 2024 Earthshot Prize.
The award includes a £1 million (Sh 166.13 million) cash prize to help further the impact of Keep It Cool’s environmental solution, which aims to tackle food spoilage and waste while improving community livelihoods.
Established by Prince William, the Earthshot Prize celebrates transformative initiatives addressing some of the world’s most pressing environmental issues.
By spotlighting groundbreaking projects, the Prize aims to drive lasting, positive change for a more sustainable world.
Selected from over 2,500 nominations from 139 countries, Keep It Cool was recognized in the “Build a Waste-Free World” category, underscoring Kenya’s leadership role in sustainability solutions.
Speaking about the award, Keep It Cool founder and MD Francis Nderitu expressed gratitude for the recognition adding that it is an important milestone for the company.
“We are on a mission to revolutionise the food supply chain in East Africa, and will continue to enhance market access, reduce waste, and build climate resilience for small- scale fish and poultry farmers throughout the region,” he said.
The company’s innovative approach aims to provide small farmers and fishers with sustainable refrigeration and efficient distribution systems that extend the shelf life of their produce, reduce spoilage, and stabilise income.
By boosting profits and curbing food waste, Keep It Cool is helping to create a more sustainable future for local communities, offering a scalable model aligned with Earthshot’s vision of a waste-free world.
During the awards ceremony held in Cape Town, South Africa, Prince William, Founder and President of The Earthshot Prize, said the prize exists to champion the game changers, inventors, makers, creatives and leaders by helping them build upon amazing things they’ve already achieved.
“I believe our world can be rich in possibility, in hope, and optimism. That is why The Earthshot Prize exists,” he said.
“It also helps them to speed their innovations to scale and to inspire the next generation to create the future we all need.”
Alongside Keep It Cool, four other innovators were celebrated and awarded £1 million each for their impactful solutions across each of Earthshot’s categories.
These were:
- Fix Our Climate: Advanced Thermovoltaic Systems
- Revive Our Oceans: High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People
- Protect and Restore Nature: Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative
- Clean Our Air: Green Africa Youth Organization (GAYO)
Beyond the £1 million award, each winner will join The Earthshot Prize Fellowship Programme, benefiting from ongoing mentorship, resources, and technical support through The Earthshot
Prize Global Alliance of Partners; a network of prominent businesses, investors, and environmental experts dedicated to scaling innovative solutions and maximizing their impact.
The Multichoice Group, a key member of the Earthshot Global Alliance, has been instrumental in supporting and elevating Earthshot Prize finalists and winners.
Since the Prize’s inception in 2020, over £75 million in financial and in-kind support has been unlocked for Earthshot innovators, fueling the development of critical environmental solutions worldwide.
Hosting this year’s Earthshot Prize ceremony in Africa highlighted the continent’s essential contributions to global climate action and environmental solutions.
Follow us on Telegram, Twitter, and Facebook, or subscribe to our weekly newsletter to ensure you don’t miss out on any future updates. Send tips to editorial@techtrendsmedia.co.ke
