AfrInnovate Youth Challenge 3rd Edition: Showcasing Africa’s Marginalized Youth as Drivers of Social Innovation

Accra, Ghana — November 20, 2025.
As the world recognizes Social Entrepreneurship Day during Global Entrepreneurship Week, Junior Achievement (JA) Africa, JA Worldwide, in partnership with the Z Zurich Foundation, proudly announces the upcoming third edition of the AfrInnovate Youth Challenge (AYC), a continental platform celebrating the creativity and resilience of marginalized young Africans who are reimagining their futures through innovation and purpose-driven enterprise.

The 3rd edition of AYC will be hosted in Abuja, Nigeria, on December 3, 2025, in a hybrid format. While the in-person event is by invitation only, the public can join via a live YouTube stream, available in both English and French.
AYC 3rd Edition – English
AYC 3rd Edition – French

AYC stands as the flagship showcase of JA Africa’s Social Equity Program (SEP), a transformative initiative funded by the Z Zurich Foundation. SEP equips marginalized youth who are not in education, employment, or training (NEET) with entrepreneurial, financial, and digital skills to design and scale social enterprises that promote equity, mental well-being, and sustainable livelihoods.

Since its inception, the program has reached more than 150,000 young people across nine African countries, catalyzing over 7,000 youth-led social enterprises that address local challenges in climate resilience, education access, gender equity, and sustainable development.

“The AfrInnovate Youth Challenge is a powerful reminder that when marginalized young Africans are given access to knowledge, mentorship, and opportunity, they reinvent Africa’s economy,” said Simi Nwogugu, President & CEO of JA Africa. “These young innovators are designing practical, scalable solutions that address real-world problems while proving that inclusion is the foundation of sustainable growth.”

The challenge in its 3rd edition features nine finalist teams whose innovations reflect Africa’s growing ecosystem of inclusive, community-driven enterprise:

• SolAir (Burkina Faso) develops smart, solar-powered irrigation systems that conserve water and improve agricultural productivity.
  
  
• CaliFem (Côte d’Ivoire) transforms marine waste into natural calcium powder, creating sustainable jobs for women.
  
  
• HSecret (Democratic Republic of the Congo) produces hibiscus-based health and wellness products that promote nutrition and local manufacturing.
  
  
• Ecobricks (Liberia) converts plastic waste into durable furniture while offering green employment to rehabilitated youth.
  
  
• Kenema Water Supply (Sierra Leone) provides affordable, locally engineered irrigation systems for smallholder farmers.
  
  
• Biosin Active Group (South Africa) uses biometric GPS technology to safeguard livestock and support rural economies.
  
  
• Skyverse Solution (Tanzania) mechanizes post-harvest groundnut processing to increase yields and farmer incomes.
  
  
• EcoBrick (Togo) recycles plastic waste into eco-friendly bricks for sustainable, low-cost housing.
  
  
• Agri-Cool Solar Chamber (Uganda) delivers affordable, solar-powered cold storage that reduces food spoilage and boosts farmers’ profits.

“At the Z Zurich Foundation, we believe that empowering youth is one of the most meaningful ways to build resilience in societies,” said Gregory Renand, Head of the Z Zurich Foundation. “Through our partnership with JA Africa, we are investing in young social entrepreneurs whose ideas are creating tangible, lasting impact in their communities and beyond.”