Request for Founders
Kunjani*,
As the climate tech space is hotting up (literally and figuratively), we’re putting out a request for Africa’s top talent.
Together, we’re helping founders start their next generation climate-tech business.
For the past decade I've been working in the climate space and assessed more than 500+ carbon removal companies. In the past 3 years, I've spotted an opportunity or two. Now, I’m back home - and Kinjani is calling for founders in Africa.
At Kinjani we’re focused on doing the hard things. We love to get technical too. We’ve done the work, and found these key opportunity areas beginning to emerge for climate tech in Africa. More on that below.
Through hundreds of calls, workshops and discussions, we've arrived at six opportunity areas, based on the industry pain point perspectives and from a climate investment perspective. Side note: The financial opportunity of building in this space is massive!
The Goldilocks Triangle for Science-driven Innovation
Science-driven innovations require technical founders.
This is not to say that we only need technical founders - we need founders with commercial expertise and operational founders too. The thing is, you cannot start a business with just one skillset. Most (epic) founders have two of the three skill sets.
Like Goldilocks and the three bears, businesses that create science driven innovations require three specific skill sets: technical, operational and commercial. Not too technical, not too academic, but just the right blend.
At Kinjani - we help match founders with complementary super powers.
The goldilocks spectrum for founders - The three skill sets needed to create science driven innovations are technical, operational and commercial experience.
Make no mistake, more than anything else, startups live and die by the people that bring them to life.
Ultimately, we care deeply about giving African founders the greatest chance of success at the industrial intersection of building Climate Resilience, driving a Circular Economy and resulting in Carbon Removal.
Industries and Opportunities
There are some industries that will have an outsized effect on our climate and biodiversity.
Some of these industries, like battery tech and energy, are well supported and funded. Others, like innovations in mining, construction and manufacturing - are less so.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, the industries that need to grow and have the potential for scaling a positive climate future are:
-
Africa's population is set to experience an unprecedented surge in the coming years. On top of that… Africa will be home to the majority of the world’s megacities.
The problem: Buildings across Africa are unsustainably constructed using carbon-intensive materials like steel and cement and are not designed to minimise waste and be energy efficient. This is compounded by a rapidly increasing number of people lacking adequate infrastructure, increasing the risk of climate shocks.
The opportunity: Construction practices and building structures must radically adapt to meet net-zero goals and ensure durable and liveable human settlements.
High potential areas for innovation:
High strength and rapid low cost buildings
Cross-laminated timber fireproofing
Off-site modular construction solutions / prefabrication
Neighbourhood-centric design approaches
Transit oriented development
Drive circular buildings and rapid assembly
Make retrofitting more efficient and cost effective than new construction
Minimise waste through modularity & retrofitting
Design buildings for deconstruction and reuse
Make buildings more resilient against extreme climate conditions?
Drainage systems /stormwater master plan / flood mitigation (SUD)
Solid waste strategy
Tree planting to mitigate landslides
-
Globally, manufacturing is the single greatest GreenHouse Gas (GHG) contributor. Almost half of the continent’s potential carbon-intensive industries have yet to be built.
The problem: Many African countries, eager to boost their economies and provide employment opportunities, are pursuing rapid industrialisation without adequately considering the environmental consequences.
The opportunity: There is an urgent need to create low-emitting substitution manufacturing businesses for the world of tomorrow. Africa has the opportunity to “grow green” by building new renewable industry assets from the start.
High potential areas for innovation:
Decarbonise production of cement, iron steel and concrete
Using cement alternatives (e.g. CarbonCure)
Locking in bio-based materials (e.g. ecoLocked / Green Steel)
Capture emissions from the process
Electrifying high heat calcination
How might we promote green hydrogen and ammonia production?
Catalysts to drive circular production of hydrogen
Green Haber-Bosch technologies
Improve local manufacturing capacity
Make more sustainable materials using plants or recycled textiles?
Circular models for reusing PET and polycotton into polyester and cellulose powder
Turn plants into materials and develop natural and non harmful products
Develop new materials for carbon removal
-
Extraction is a destructive industry that currently does not invest enough time, money, and effort into end of life restoration and has had severe impacts on ecosystems.
The problem: We need Africa to transition away from coal, oil, and gas extraction to supply commodities that are vital for a green energy future.
The opportunity: Critical minerals in Africa hold the key to a green energy transition. How can mining operations be supported to be more effective, efficient and environmentally sound?
High potential areas for innovation:
How might we mine more and waste less?
Mine waste reuse - using mine tailings as cement alternatives / agricultural inputs
Use plants to extract minerals via bioaccumulators
Drive circularity with the water and waste streams and get to waterless mining
How might we make mines more habitable?
Make use and improve land and soils surrounding mines
Involve local workforce on land rehabilitation and carbon projects
Increase supply chain value addition and regional collaboration
How might we decarbonise mines?
Catch and remove methane from closed coal mines
Use minerals to sequester carbon
Carbonates disrupting and Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV)?
-
Agricultural soils are becoming more polluted and less productive, yielding up to 11X less than US crop production.
The problem: Africa faces a significant challenge in meeting the rising food demand while preserving the environment. Factors such as population growth, climate change, and land degradation pose threats to the sustainability of our food systems.
The opportunity: How can we create a more sustainable and resilient food system that can meet the needs of a growing population while lowering carbon emissions and protecting biodiversity?
High Potential Areas for Innovation:
Productivity: How might we farm more with less?
Developing more efficient and environmentally friendly farming innovations
Utilizing technology to monitor and manage resources more effectively
Creating drought-resistant crops and livestock that triple smallholder production
Land Restoration: How might we rewild and restore land?
Implementing reforestation and agroforestry programs on a large scale
Developing innovative soil conservation techniques
Restoring degraded ecosystems to their natural state, and protecting biodiversity hotspots
Futureproofing: What innovations do we require with a 1.5 degree change to the global climate?
Create infrastructure that can withstand climate-related challenges
Providing farmers and food system workers with science-driven innovations that need to adapt.
-
Water is life. Climate change and current industry practices are intensifying water scarcity and wastewater pollution, leading to unhealthy people and ecosystems, as well as increased natural disasters and social conflict.
The Problem:
Nearly 60% of countries and 800m people are due to face extreme water stress in sub-Saharan Africa, renewable groundwater irrigates less than 1% of cultivable land.
Roughly 40% of the population in sub-Saharan Africa does not have access to clean drinking water, contributing to more than 70% of diseases on the continent.
70% of all deaths related to natural disasters are from water-related disasters, with droughts being the top killer in Africa.
The Opportunity: We must clean up and minimise our water usage in industry, and also create safe, circular solutions that prevent overexploitation yet close the clean water access gap.
High Potential Areas for Innovation
Water Conservation: How might we create water usage efficiencies and reclamation in the mining industry?
Developing water-smart processes for mining operations
Waterless mining innovations
How might we optimise water usage and reduce nutrient pollution in farming?
i.e.) Sustainable agriculture irrigation innovations
How might we design the built environment to be water-sensitive and resilient?
Rethink how we use and distribute water in urban areas
Develop rainwater harvesting, water purification and desalination innovations
How might we minimise and reuse wastewater?
How might we use water for energy storage?
-
The excess greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are dangerously driving ocean heating and acidification, which is accelerating climate disasters and severely threatening ocean biodiversity and resulting food security.
The Problem
The ocean has been absorbing 90% excess solar energy and its acidity has increased by 30% since the Industrial Revolution
Rising sea levels are increasing the intensity and magnitude of storms and precipitation rates of tropical cyclones
Since 1950, coral reefs have declined by 50% and associated fishing catch-per-unit efforts have decreased by 60%.
The Opportunity: We must harness the enormous power of the ocean—our largest carbon reservoir — to restore the climate, repair marine ecosystems, and provide low-carbon alternative goods and services.
High Potential Areas for Innovation:
How might we leverage the natural power of the ocean to sink carbon and regulate ecosystems?
How might we accelerate the development and adoption of decarbonised shipping technologies?
How might we expand sustainable aquaculture (incl. fish, shellfish, and seaweed)?
How might we produce ocean-based feedstocks for industrial materials and processes?
Myths
Myth 1: “You need an idea or technology in one of these areas to apply to Kinjani”.
At Kinjani we are mostly looking for top talent! But if an idea that excites you, then we especially want you to apply!
Myth 2: “Scientific innovation doesn’t come out of Africa”.
We don’t subscribe to this. We’re here to debunk this myth once and for all. We’re here to demonstrate how some of the best innovations can be scaled rapidly on this continent.
Myth 3: “We don’t need more climate innovations - we need deployment”.
We need both innovation and deployment, and unless we want a repeat of the industrial revolution all over again, we need innovation and deployment to be coming from Africa for Africa.
In closing:
Kinjani invests in technical talent from Sub-Saharan Africa, giving them the skills, networks, science and engineering support, and commercial co-founders needed to build scalable climate businesses.
If you are an aspiring founder, apply here to start building your business.