Three Kenyan startups have bagged Sh4.95 million in funding following an entrepreneurship contest organised by the French oil marketer TotalEnergies.
Victor Mwaura won in the Innov’Up category for his enterprise, Midas City, which transforms metal into bespoke 3D art and provides custom design products and services tailored to businesses and individuals.
Lenox Ochieng’ won in the Cycle’Up category for the best circular economy project with Ecobana Limited, which makes biodegradable sanitary towels from banana fibre to tackle period poverty in Africa.
In the Power’Up category, Martin Lusasi earned recognition for Boder, a platform that enables electric bike purchases and provides a ride-hailing service for eco-friendly two-wheelers, supporting affordable, sustainable transport.
Boder’s platform facilitates seamless rider-customer interactions and aims to make eco-friendly transit accessible to a wider audience.
In addition to receiving Sh1.65 million each to help them develop their projects, these young entrepreneurs will also receive personalised support to develop their projects and local visibility to raise awareness of their solutions.
The three are part of the 100 winners in the 32 countries that participated in the special edition organised to mark the company’s centenary. Some 1,296 Kenyan startups entered the challenge, with 15 finalists pitching their projects to a local panel of experts.
