Technology firm, MTN Uganda and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Uganda have awarded three youth-led businesses a combined Shs30 million for innovations targeting agricultural resilience, plastic waste and sustainable construction.
Garvin Billy Ssemyalo’s Agrosap won the second edition of the PachiPanda Innovation Challenge, taking the Shs15 million top prize for a solution designed to improve soil moisture retention and support crop growth throughout the planting season.
Luther Plastics, founded by Arther Lule and Sharma Kemigisha, placed second and will receive Shs10 million for producing construction boards from recycled plastics. Retyre Blocks Ltd, led by Rhona Janet Atugonza, came third, earning Shs5 million for converting waste tyres into construction materials.
The three winners will represent Uganda at the continental PachiPanda Challenge finale in South Africa in February 2027.
The competition attracted more than 300 applications, with 15 innovators and youth-led enterprises advancing to the national finals. The finalists attended a three-day bootcamp from Oct. 21 to 23, receiving business training and mentorship to improve their business models and pitches.
The challenge, held under the theme “Nature Meets Innovation: Unlocking Africa’s Green Economy,” seeks to develop commercially viable solutions to environmental problems while creating jobs and economic opportunities.
“PachiPanda demonstrates what is possible when we bring together technology, sustainability and entrepreneurship,” MTN Uganda Chief Executive Officer Sylvia Mulinge said.
Environmental challenges can create opportunities to build businesses, create jobs and improve livelihoods, she said.
WWF Uganda Executive Director Ivan Tumuhimbise said the priority was to help the winning innovations expand beyond the competition and deliver measurable benefits for communities and the environment.
The latest awards build on the inaugural Ugandan edition, whose finalists, FarmGate Digital, Kampala Buzzline and Bottle for Cash Eco-Drop, represented the country at the continental competition in South Africa earlier this year.
FarmGate Digital works to reduce post-harvest losses through better market information and coordination, while Kampala Buzzline focuses on restoring pollinator habitats through community conservation and digital mapping. Bottle for Cash Eco-Drop uses smart collection bins and mobile-enabled rewards to encourage plastic collection and recycling. The latter also received the Bayobab Innovator’s Award at MTN Group level.
This year’s competition focused on nature-based climate resilience, sustainable livelihoods, green enterprises, biodiversity conservation and digital solutions for Africa’s green economy.
The initiative forms part of MTN Uganda’s sustainability ambitions under Ambition 2030. The partnership with WWF Uganda aims to support young entrepreneurs developing solutions that conserve natural resources, strengthen communities and generate economic value.
