A Kenyan company tackling food waste through innovative refrigerated boxes has caught the attention of Prince William, earning its place among 15 global finalists for the prestigious Earthshot Prize.
The Earthshot Prize, spearheaded by the Prince of Wales, awards emerging solutions that address the pressing environmental crisis. With its innovative approach, the Kenyan company, Keep IT Cool, could soon earn a transformative £1 million (approximately Ksh166.4 million), a prize set to be awarded to five winners in November.
The event will take place in Cape Town, South Africa, where Keep IT Cool will compete under categories like cleaning the air and building a carbon-neutral economy. The recognition came at an unveiling event led by Prince William during Climate Week NYC, coinciding with the UN General Assembly in New York. This marks the fourth year of the Earthshot Prize, a reflection of the growing urgency to combat the escalating climate crisis.
Why it matters: Kenya is increasingly becoming a global solutions player in various sectors, and with the worsening climate crisis, Kenya cannot afford to depend on global support alone to combat climate change. Local innovations, with support from the government and donors, could go a long way in speeding up the capacity-building process to combat climate change.
Dig deeper: Keep IT Cool’s revolutionary refrigerated boxes address one of Kenya’s long-standing challenges—food waste. This innovation promises to reduce post-harvest losses, which have plagued the agricultural sector, threatening food security and economic stability. With food prices and inflation continually pressuring Kenyan households, the potential impact of this technology is monumental.
If Keep IT Cool secures the prize, the funds could significantly expand their capacity, potentially transforming the agricultural landscape not just in Kenya but across Africa.
This year’s Earthshot finalists were selected amidst an unprecedented wave of climate disasters. Record-breaking heatwaves and wildfires have ravaged communities worldwide, and 2024 is set to be the hottest year on record, surpassing even 2023.
Actor and climate activist Jane Fonda emphasised the urgency of action during the announcement ceremony. "Now is the time to show up with everything we have," she declared. Her message mirrors the very ethos of the Earthshot Prize, designed to spotlight and support groundbreaking environmental solutions.
Other notable finalists this year include NatureMetrics, a UK-based biodiversity startup, and Equatic, which extracts carbon from the air and generates clean hydrogen using seawater. These contenders, alongside Keep IT Cool, are united by their innovative responses to the climate crisis, offering real hope in the quest for a sustainable future.
Founded in 2020 by Prince William, the Earth shot Prize has rapidly grown into a global platform for environmental innovators. Supported by major organisations such as Bloomberg Philanthropies, Breakthrough Energy Foundation, Bezos Earth Fund, and the Jack Ma Foundation, the prize draws attention to forward-thinking projects capable of reversing environmental degradation.
An advisory panel, composed of experts in fields ranging from conservation to finance, reviews the nominations each year, recommending finalists for the prize. Prince William and other environmental leaders then make the final selection.
