Because Accelerator Alumni
Meet the entrepreneurs from the Because Accelerator program.
Spring 2024 Cohort
Oliver Omondi
Zuripacks Venture
(Kenya)
Zuripacks Venture turns agriculture waste into eco-friendly alternatives to plastic bags & packaging materials.
Tunde Adeyemi
D-Olivette Enterprise
(Nigeria)
D-Olivette produces clean energy, organic fertilizers, and animal feed products.
Faith Kuya
Safe Sip Straws
(Tanzania)
Safe Sip Straws provides instant water purification using advanced filtration technology.
Irene Simon
Mrembo Naturals
(Tanzania)
Mrembo Naturals manufactures organic hair care products by sourcing their ingredients from women in Tanzania.
Sonko Jamal
Kyuka Ventures
Innovations Hub
(
Uganda)
Kyuka Ventures Innovations Hub makes affordable, clean energy accessible to low income households.
Mariah Kizza
Smart Women in Environment and Development Organization (SWEDO)
(Uganda)
SWEDO manufactures a smoke-free, long burning, cost effective
biofire comb.
Cyrus Osinde
Golden Peafowl
Company Ltd.
(Uganda)
Golden Peafowl Company manufactures and sells eco-friendly construction blocks made from recycled plastic waste.
Cletus Baalongbuoro
Ponaa Briquettes
(Ghana)
Ponaa Briquettes produces an eco-friendly, low cost briquette from agricultural waste.
Ishaku Ali-Baba
Mubal Agro & General Enterprise Nigeria
(Nigeria)
Mubal Agro & General Enterprise Nigeria manufactures and sells a highly nutritious food powder blend aimed at children ages 1-9 suffering malnutrition.
Temitope Adeolu-Akinyemi
Marvel Natural Products
(Nigeria)
Marvel Natural Products develops, manufactures, and delivers a range of natural health products derived from plant properties and naturopathy.
Aline uwase
The HappyNes
(Rwanda)
The HappyNes designs and produces premium leather products while training women through their social
enterprise model.
Kaligirwa Bridget Kigambo
Green Shero
(Uganda)
Green Shero is a social enterprise innovating solutions for waste management challenges in their local community.
Teresiah Gitau
Organic Kenya Limited
(Kenya)
Organic Kenya Limited produces organic fertilizers and trains farmers on how to make and use bio-fertilizers.
Gerald Birungi
Green Creek Eco Farm Ltd.
(Uganda)
Green Creek Eco Farm produces sustainable protein and organic fertilizers through agricultural waste transformation utilizing black soldier fly farming.
WATCH PITCH VIDEO
Maryanne Gichanga
AgriTech Analytics Ltd.
(Kenya)
AgriTech Analytics has developed a proprietary solar-powered sensor that detects and reports crop pests and diseases, and conducts soil analysis.
WATCH PITCH VIDEO
Granny Lesiamang
Clauseph BioFuels
(Botswana)
Clauseph BioFuels produces affordable and energy efficient biomass stoves and clean biomass fuel made from invasive bush trees.
WATCH PITCH VIDEO
Vincent Ubeling
Green at Mind Enterprise
(Kenya)
Green at Mind Enterprise manufactures clean cook stoves and biogas from food waste within the Kakuma refugee camp.
Dhananjay Goel
DetoXyFi, Inc.
(India)
DetoXyFi offers a patent-pending water filtration system made from waste wood which is affordable, compact, effective, and rapidly deployable.
Arnold Mugagga
Zetu Africa Limited
(
Uganda)
Zetu Africa makes SeatPacks: school bags that turn into bamboo classroom chairs with writing surfaces for rural African schools.
Didas Mzirai
Muchos Mangoes Limited
(Kenya)
Muchos Mangoes is a social enterprise that aims to eliminate crop wastage, farmer losses and poverty in the Kenyan mango industry.
Isaac Sabiiti
Sanitation Empowerment & Agricultural Supply (SEAS)
(Uganda)
SEAS provides container toilets in low-income areas and the scheduled pick up of these raw materials which is then co-composted and converted into organic pellet fertilizers.
Bismark Asamoah Asante
Nasam Brand Enterprise
(Ghana)
Nasam Brand Enterprise is a Ghanaian designer and manufacturer of clean wood stoves, gas stoves, and charcoal powered cookstoves for urban and
rural households.
Blandine Umuziranenge
Kosmotive
(Rwanda)
Kosmotive produces affordable,
eco-friendly sanitary pads and provides
an information platform for any
concern about menstrual and
reproductive health.
Sarah Nakibuule
SwiftSAN HYGIENIC SOLUTIONS
(Uganda)
Swiftsan Hygienic Solutions produces an enzyme based, fast reacting, fecal sludge decomposer that also repels house flies and deals with bad odors improving hygiene and sanitation in communities.
Okey Esse
TeamPowerstove
(Nigeria)
TeamPowerstove manufactures smart, smokefree cookstoves that also self-generate electricity using their proprietary, sustainable, and renewable bio-pellets as fuel which are produced from post-harvest crop
and wood wastes.
Aishat Adamu
Rekool Technology
(Nigeria)
Rekool Technology ensures vaccine access in Africa with Vacci Save: a portable, solar-powered cooling storage box for rural healthcare.
WATCH PITCH VIDEO
2023 Cohort
Solomon Ssekamanya
EverGrow Organics Agroecology Limited
(Uganda)
EverGrow Organics produces a mineral-based organic fertilizer rich in microorganisms that support plant growth and healthy soil.
Kudakwashe Mawere
Noble Gold
(Zimbabwe)
Noble Gold manufactures an organic fertilizer that is sprayed directly onto the leaves, making it more effective.
Latoya Jones
Glass Girls
(UgandA)
Glass Girls Uganda upcycles glass bottles into beautiful, useful products while prioritizing the employment of women.
Dozie Igweilo
QuadLoop
(Nigeria)
QuadLoop is a cleantech company that utilizes electronic waste to build solar lanterns and home systems with a lower environmental impact.
Martine Zaarour
Jar Thuraya
(Lebanon)
Jar Thuraya is a community of women who specialize in making artisanal food from local resources while sharing their stories.
Valentine Nnamani
OneGrid Energies
(Nigeria)
OneGrid Energies recycles plastic bottles into a low-cost rechargeable lantern. They also run a program for women and youth to trade plastic bottles in exchange for its devices.
Charles Busuulwa
Aval Agroecology
Ltd
(Uganda)
Aval Agroecology fosters sustainable income for fruit and vegetable farmers in Uganda by selling solar-drying systems.
Stanley Anigbogu
LightED
(Nigeria)
LightEd sells solar home systems, solar‑powered lamps and other sustainable energy solutions that are made from single‑use plastic bottles and electronic waste.
Alejandro BisI
GiveMove
(Argentina)
GiveMove manufactures a foldable, motorized stander for children with disabilities to promote autonomy and independence.
Purvi Tanwani
Anahat For ChangE
(India)
Anahat for Change creates reusable cloth pads, baby diapers, hygiene kits, masks and bags, supporting the livelihood of women from underprivileged backgrounds.
Willie Ng
Global CeraH
(Malaysia)
Global Cerah collects agricultural waste from farmers to feed black soldier flies’ larvae—which are later processed into feed meal, then are sold back to farmers at an affordable rate.
Dullah ShiltonE
ECO-BANA Company
(Kenya)
ECO-BANA Company is helping to solve period poverty by manufacturing biodegradable sanitary pads that are 45% cheaper than its competitors.
Anthony Muthungu
TOTOSCI HOLDINGS
(Kenya)
TOTOSCI HOLDINGS is a manufacturer of USB chargers for low powered devices. Their products are produced using waste plastics collected from community members.
Eneyi Oshi
AgrisitI
(Nigeria)
Agrisiti is a smart-farming company promoting sustainable farming which integrates climate action in agriculture.
Onimisi Charles Atere
Nimsy Solar PumpS
(Nigeria)
Nimsy Solar Pumps provides smallholder farmers with low-cost, mobile solar water pumps—enabling year-round farming to improve their livelihood and enhance food production.
Ximena Adriazola
Bio Natural SolutionS
(Peru)
Bio Natural Solutions reuses fruit and vegetable waste to create a solution that increases the shelf life of produce without the use of chemicals.
WATCH PITCH VIDEO
Amu-nnadi Obinna
Green AxiS
(Nigeria)
Green Axis improves the waste management system and livelihood in poor, urban informal communities using a web based data intelligence platform called GIS.
Diana Mbogo
Millennium EngineerS
(Tanzania)
Millennium Engineers produces solar-powered night fishing lamps that are user-centered and include anti-theft lock systems, saving fishers 30% in operational costs.
Pacy Marondji
MarZ ComposT
(Democratic Republic of the Congo)
MarZ Compost collects biodegradable waste from households, businesses and farms in the community, then turns it into a compost, diverting waste from landfills.
WATCH PITCH VIDEO
Robert NgumA
Athel Technology LimiteD
(Kenya)
Athel Technology Limited manufactures a solar‑powered induction cooker that works day and night for families who don’t have access to power or have trouble affording fuel cost.
Sebastian Mwaura
Kabui
Yna KenyA
(Kenya)
Yna Kenya produces an electric bike that captures real-time data about emission usage, allowing for accurate carbon footprint tracking and offsetting.
Francisca Castellanos & Carlos Picho
Crick SuperfoodS
(Ecuador)
Crick Superfoods was founded with one goal in mind: to feed individuals with an innovative and delicious natural protein—cricket.
Peter Okonmah & adaeze Ruth Akpagbula
Farmspeak TechnologY
(Nigeria)
Farmspeak Tech manufactures a device that allows poultry farmers to track the temperature, air quality, humidity, and more of their coops in real‑time. With these insights, farmers can ensure the health and safety of the chickens while working on other tasks.
Fall 2022 Cohort
Salisu Abdullahi
ETRASH2CASH
(NIGERIA)
eTrash2Cash helps people and the planet by collecting trash from local communities, exchanging it for cash incentives and creating recycled products.
Esther Oluwabunmi Olalude
VENILLE
(NIGERIA)
Venille manufactures sanitary pads that are eco-friendly and low cost by extracting banana fiber from agro-waste and using it as the absorbent core.
Titilayo Falaiye
ORANGE strategy ltd
(nigeria)
Orange Strategy Ltd. is a waste recycling firm that collects waste from households and turns it into PET flakes which can be used to create new products.
Babatunde Adebayo
eco circular solutions
(nigeria)
Eco Circular Solutions recycles paper and cartons into affordable, eco-friendly ceiling tiles to address environmental pollution and provide affordable housing.
Abel Hailegiorgis
Bamboo Labs
(Ethiopia)
Bamboo Labs employs disabled individuals and disadvantaged women to produce wheelchairs and bicycles made out of bamboo.
Nguyen Vo
Green joy Straw
(Vietnam)
Green Joy Straw makes straws entirely out of Lepironia grass, a natural, herbaceous plant, and markets them to hotels, restaurants and individuals.
Derrick Sarfo
DercolBags
(Ghana)
DercolBags is on a mission to replace single-use packaging with eco-friendly alternatives. Their products include boxes, food packaging, gift packaging and more.
Haneesh Katnawer
Himalayan Hemp Industries
(India)
Himalayan Hemp Industries preserves indigenous cannabis and hemp to create organic, Himalayan hemp sanitary pads with a focus on marginalized communities.
Abhishek Choudhury
CINI Community Initiative
(India)
CINI Community Initiative creates an inexpensive, scientifically designed nutritional supplement made from natural products.
Alex Makalliwa
Solar E-Cycles
(Kenya)
Solar E-Cycles constructs solar-powered tricycles they’ve dubbed Trykes. They have a goal of making mobility sustainable and inexpensive.
Miriam Feza
Clay Cosmo
(Uganda)
Clay Cosmo trains and employs refugee women to produce ethical skincare products using natural clay ingredients.
Prince Essel
Econexus Ventures Limited
(Ghana)
Econexus Ventures produces a cooking fuel that burns cleaner and longer than the current traditional cooking fuels used in Ghana.
Ronald mugaiga
Ecomak Recyclers
(uganda)
Ecomak Recyclers uses recycled materials to make eco-friendly plastic bricks and blocks to serve as a replacement for concrete and clay bricks.
Spring 2022 Cohort
CHRISTIAN MWIJAGE
Ecoact Tanzania
(Tanzania)
Ecoact Tanzania upcycles plastic waste into durable timbers used for construction and furniture making.
Jonathan Baumi
Poliverde
(Brazil)
Poliverde uses a solar powered recycling process to turn fabric scraps into nylon pellets and 3D printer filaments.
Nermin Dermardash
Masagh
(Egypt)
Masagh Academy is a jewelry training center that trains women to make jewelry using traditional techniques.
Cynthia Asije
Adire Lounge
(Nigeria)
Adire Lounge creates premium, hand dyed fashion products with organic fabrics and natural dyes.
Saba Khalid
Raaji Pads
(Pakistan)
Aurat Raaj provides menstrual health education alongside the production and distribution of reusable pads.
Edward Constantine
Agrilife Limited
(Tanzania)
AgriLife Limited converts organic waste into sustainable protein for poultry and organic fertilizer for crops.
Sizwe Mavuso
Colsto
(South Africa)
Colsto (formerly Project Go) is a smart water tank with an electric meter that can be used to harvest fresh, grey or rain water.
Tolulope Olukokun
Think Bikes
(Nigeria)
Think Bikes manufactures electric road bikes with a goal of changing transportation in Nigeria.
Abdalah Nyambi
Preyo TZ
(Tanzania)
PREYO TZ upcycles plastic into flakes for resell and paving bricks, providing employment for 200+ waste collectors.
Shaila Agha
CBC Store
(Kenya)
CBC Store produces a science kit geared towards 3rd–7th graders—focused on arts/crafts, integrated science and tech.
Tendekayi Katsiga
Deaftronics
(Botswana)
Deaftronics developed the first solar powered, rechargeable hearing aid battery.
Fatoumatta Kassama
Girls’ Pride
(The Gambia)
Girls’ Pride provides reusable sanitary pads alongside menstrual health training and other services.
Omar Negron Ocasio
Remora
(Puerto Rico)
Remora makes a water filtration device that provides clean water from any water source except the ocean.
Fall 2021 Cohort
Neha Ahmed
Educase
(Nepal)
Educase is a school bag that folds into a desk for primary school students who attend under-resourced schools.
Daniel Kisitu
Muafrica Repurpose
(Uganda)
MuAfrica Repurpose upcycles waste materials to create eco fashion products like waterproof bags and bracelets.
Priscilla Ruzibuka
KI-PEPEO KIDS
(Rwanda)
Ki-pepeo Kids is a children’s clothing company that trains and employs women in Kigali, Rwanda.
Barbra Jane Nantongo
Smart Kitchen
(Uganda)
Smart Kitchen creates bio-briquettes—a more sustainable fuel alternative for cooking.
Liza Chitwood
Art Of Hoping
(USA/Lebanon)
Art of Hoping works with Syrian refugees to create macrame products and sells them in both Lebanon and the US.
Patricia Rhoda NekesA
Aqua Tyres
(Uganda)
Aqua Tyres develops dam covers out of recycled tires and water bottles that helps prevent water loss via evaporation in water scarce areas of Uganda.
Sunit AryA
Deyhaat
(India)
DeyHaat develops and operates solar grids for businesses in underserved communities—replacing other sources like kerosene lamps and diesel generators.
Patient Baraka &
Kisekedy Anania
Botanica Repellent
(Uganda)
Botanica Repellent is a natural mosquito repellent body jelly that protects users from mosquitos and malaria.
Diana Orembe
NovFeed
(Tanzania)
NovFeed is a locally sourced, sustainable fish feed that uses upcycled waste and is aimed to help Tanzanian fish farmers.
Edward Muhwezi
Omukama soap
(Uganda)
Omukama Soap is an environmentally-friendly shampoo bar naturally formulated with essential oils, butters and botanicals and packed in recyclable materials.
Kabir OLAOSEBIKAN
Craft Planet
(NIGERIA)
Craft Planet develops interlocking construction blocks that can be used for road pavement or roofs.
Ibrahim Hombo
Tumutu Pesticide
(Tanzania)
Tumutu Pesticide is an all-natural, plant-based pesticide developed by Ibrahim and tested on his own crop of chiles.
Denis Ndayizeye
Basketry for Good
(Burundi)
Basketry For Good employs women to produce high quality baskets made from local, natural raw materials.
Shricant Singh Binny
Sootheearth
(India)
SootheEarth manufactures paper products from banana stem fiber including journals, paper and notebooks.
Sarah Muguku
Whamboy Designs
(Kenya)
Whamboy Designs is a Kenya-based jewelry making business.
Spring 2021 Cohort
NIVINE HACHEM
TWO BETTER
(LEBANON)
Two Better transforms plastic waste into recycled boards and furniture pieces for home and commercial spaces.
CASSANDRA SARI DAMAYANTI
RAWHAUS
(INDONESIA)
Rawhaus addresses housing for refugees and natural disaster victims with a high-performance micro house constructed from revitalized and durable materials.
PRECIOUS DI PHIRI
AWAWO
(MALAWI)
Awawo produces bamboo products, from straws to furniture, as sustainable alternatives to plastic products.
ICHOR JOSHUA
GEOTEK WATER SOLUTIONS
(NIGERIA)
Geotek Water Solutions supports sustainable extraction of groundwater through a smart technological device used for water surveys.
JULIET NAMUJJU
KIMULI Collections
(UGANDA)
Kimuli Collections upcycles plastic waste into products like rain jackets and backpacks while providing employment opportunities to people with disabilities.
ISAAC BRENYA
ECOVON
(GHANA)
Ecovon develops sustainably sourced engineered wood from coconut husk and sugar cane to create fiberboards for furniture and construction.
ABDURAZAQ GORJA
NEGAT INDUSTRY
(ETHIOPIA)
Negat Industry produces eco-friendly interlocking construction blocks used to create sustainable and affordable living.
AMITA DESHPANDE
RECHARKHA
(INDIA)
Recharkha upcycles plastic waste and uses a traditional charkha (spindle) and handloom to weave it into a fabric, which is used to create bags and fashion accessories.
ISMAEL ESSOME
MADIBA & NATURE
(CAMEROON)
Madiba & Nature transforms plastic bottles into upcycled canoes called Ecoboats.
IMAD AGI
ECOLOO
(SWEDEN)
Ecoloo is a waterless, enclosed sanitation system that transforms the urine into natural and nutritious liquid fertilizer for organic farming.
NDASHIMYE GERALD
ECO WAYS
(UGANDA)
Eco Ways produces recycled plastic lumber and construction materials.
Fall 2020 Cohort
Muhammed Dimma Mawejje
Mawejje Creations
(Uganda)
Mawejje Creations uses banana fibers to make products such as table mats, curtains, and more, creating job opportunities and increased income for farmers and crafters.
Doris Akoth Obondo
aloe flora products ltd
(
Kenya)
Aloe Flora Products produces a liquid soap free of harsh chemicals for a clean, fresh feeling while gentle on skin.
CATHERINE Nakayemba
Safe Girl REusable Pads
(Uganda)
Safe Girl Reusable Pads distributes kits of reusable pads and liners to girls and women who need them, helping to eliminate barriers to hygiene, education and empowerment.
Ajinkya Shinde
Invenzee Technologies
(India)
Invenzee Technologies is creating Sanezze, a portable hand sanitizer that attaches to a wrist band, allowing for safe and easy hand sanitizing during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
Donna Frazier
Heels That Heal
(USA)
Heels That Heal addresses the shoe waste problem in the United States by creating durable shoe taps that extend the life of a pair of shoes.
Joy Mwagiru
Afyema
(Kenya)
Afyema has developed a solution for drainage issues throughout Kenya by using a cost-effective sewer sieve that sorts solid waste from liquid drainage.
Spring 2020 Cohort
Shubham Issar
SoaPen Inc
(USA/India)
SoaPen Inc. promotes hand washing and overall hygiene with a pen that allows kids to draw on their hands using soap.
Maryam Muthi'ah Karimah
Creasion
(Indonesia)
Creasion produces clean water using a solar water purifier, helping low-income families in small island regions of Indonesia.
Farah BrunachE
Lagatos
(
Canada/Africa/Caribbean)
Lagatos delivers high bandwidth Internet to people in developing markets using a consumer-friendly mobile router.
Faith Aweko
Reform Africa
(Uganda)
Reform Africa transforms plastic waste into sustainable, waterproof bags, distributing one bag to a student in rural Uganda for every bag sold.
Abdullateef Lawal
Dixcoat Paints
(Nigeria)
Dixcoat Paints turns agricultural byproducts into paint, helping make Nigerian homes and communities more beautiful through local, sustainable, and affordable paint products.
University Student Team
Pine Kazi
(Kenya)
Pine Kazi creates eco-friendly, comfortable vegan shoes made from pineapple waste, promoting crop-waste management and circular economies.
Oluwafunmilola Sopein Mann
Boosty
(Nigeria)
Boosty provides wifi internet access and clean, affordable energy for mobile devices with a mobile solar charging booth.
Janice Kelsey
Solar CITIES
(USA)
Solar CITIES brings people clean, free cooking fuel and rich fertilizer with their Biodigesters—compost containers that create usable biogas.
Jeeva Senthilnathan
Privando
(USA/India)
Privando works to improve the safety of vulnerable populations of women in high risk areas of India through a smart watch with location and emergency alert software.
2019 Cohorts
Joan Nalubega
Uganics
(Uganda)
Uganics works toward a malaria-free world by offering natural, mosquito repellent formula in daily use cream and soap to communities facing malaria.
Chris way
Atinga Project
(Rwanda)
Atinga connects small-scale artisan shoemakers in Rwanda to a global market through selling sandals made from recycled tires.
BEATRICE KOROMA
eWomen
(Sierra Leone)
eWomen employs young people in Makeni, Sierra Leone, to recycle waste into unique new products such as trash bins made from used tires.
Sadik Ibn Abdulai
Tilaa Ltd.
(Ghana)
Tilaa Ltd. creates innovative beehives and trains local farmers on beekeeping and cashew production, bolstering job creation and improving land conservation in northern Ghana.
Tonny Wamboga
Our Roots Africa
(Uganda)
Our Roots Africa mitigates plastic waste and creates financial stability for farmers around Kampala through creating durable, plant-based straws made from local reeds
Daniel Yin
Spouts of Water
(Uganda)
Spouts of Water is committed to providing people with safe, clean drinking water through their innovative ceramic water filters built for families and communities.
Payton McGriff
Style Her Empowered
(USA)
Style Her Empowered focuses on education for girls in rural Togo, Africa, through programming and through products such as an adjustable, growing school uniform.
Kathy Mbondo
Proactive Merit
(
Kenya)
Proactive Merit encourages farmers to place beehives on acacia trees and then purchases the honey to resell in retail outlets in Nairobi.
University Student Team
Smart Farm Box
(Kenya)
Smart Farm Box is an innovative three-tier farming box that combines chickens, fish, and vegetables in a system that fits inside a family home.
Raphael Otakwa
Bio-Briquetting
(Kenya)
Bio-Briquetting produces eco-friendly briquettes made of biomass to replace firewood for cooking, fighting deforestation in Kenya.
Jessica Ho
Museum of TOmorrow
(USA)
Museum of Tomorrow is a pop-up museum that uses an innovative approach to portray climate change.
Nabeel Jaffer
Manavta
(Nepal)
Manavta has created an ecological sanitation system to capture nutrients, prevent water pollution, and utilize energy from bio waste to produce a fertilizer that can be used on crops.
Darius Roberts
Uplift Solar
(USA)
Uplift Solar creates power electronics that fit inside solar panels and energy storage devices, improving power production, lowering the cost of installations, and enhancing features for innovative power systems.
Nadine Brandy
Garbage Receptacles
(West Africa)
Garbage Receptacles aims to create a trash receptacle that can compact the trash in order to collect more trash.
Charlie Bullard
LifeBox, Inc.
(USA)
LifeBox, Inc. creates sustainable modular housing units out of recycled shipping containers to be used for rapid deployment in regions that have been impacted by natural disasters.