Four climate adaptation ventures win Tanzania’s Adaptation and Resilience ClimAccelerator

Four start-ups have been selected as winners of this year’s Adaptation and Resilience ClimAccelerator in Tanzania, a programme powered by SmartLab and Climate KIC, focused on protecting rural communities and livelihoods from the effects of climate change. Among the ten participating ventures HerVEG.05, InsectUp, Mbegu Nzuri Biotech Farms Ltd and Rada 360 were awarded the opportunity to proceed to the next phase, receiving support to conduct real-world testing as well as €10,000 each in funding to support their growth. 

Tanzania, like many African nations, faces increasing challenges from climate change, with rural communities and smallholder farmers particularly vulnerable to unpredictable weather patterns, drought and other climate shocks. Innovative solutions are essential for helping these communities adapt to changing conditions and build resilience against future climate impacts. 

The Adaptation and Resilience ClimAccelerator supported ten promising start-ups that are addressing climate adaptation and resilience across diverse sectors. These ventures are driving high-impact solutions that protect people and livelihoods through expert support, alongside valuable connections with investors and industry leaders to strengthen their climate-focused innovations. 

A defining feature of the programme was the Adaptation and Resilience Innovation Assessment and Validation Process, developed by Climate KIC. This rigorous framework equips start-ups with the tools to measure, validate and communicate the impact of their climate solutions to potential investors. Through structured assessments, expert-led validation and investor-ready credentials, start-ups can strengthen their market positioning, ensuring their solutions not only innovate but also deliver tangible climate resilience benefits in Tanzania. 

Selected ventures for community testing 

The programme reached a significant milestone this month with a Demo Day held at the Hyatt Regency in Dar es Salaam, where participating start-ups presented their solutions to a distinguished panel of judges. After careful evaluation of each solution’s adaptation and resilience potential, HerVEG.05, InsectUp, Mbegu Nzuri Biotech Farms Ltd and Rada 360 were selected as the winners from the Adaptation and Resilience ClimAccelerator cohort. These teams distinguished themselves through their innovative approaches, commitment to community engagement and the proven potential of their solutions to enhance climate resilience in rural Tanzania. 

“The exposure to new technologies from other participants and the mentors’ approach was eye-opening. One mentor’s presentation completely transformed my thinking about my business. I also gained valuable insights on defining and refining business models—an area I hadn’t deeply considered before.” Crescentia Mushobozi, Founder Mbegu Nzuri

Meet the winners 

The following start-ups were selected as winners of the Adaptation and Resilience ClimAccelerator in Tanzania, each bringing unique solutions to climate adaptation challenges: 

• HerVEG.05: A nutrition-focused start-up working to improve food security in rural areas by promoting the cultivation of climate-friendly, nutrient-rich vegetables. Their approach helps diversify food sources while teaching climate-smart agricultural practices to women and vulnerable communities. 
• InsectUp: A circular economy solution transforming organic waste into high-quality insect protein for animal feed and sustainable food systems through engineering of black soldier flies. By creating alternative protein sources, they’re building resilience in the food chain while reducing waste and environmental impact. 
• Mbegu Nzuri Biotech Farms Ltd: A biotech venture increasing access to climate-resilient seeds to support agricultural sustainability. Their drought-tolerant and pest-resistant seed varieties help farmers maintain productivity despite increasingly challenging growing conditions. 
• Rada 360: A weather alert and advisory platform helping farmers make timely, informed decisions in the face of unpredictable climate conditions. Their solution provides localised climate data and agricultural recommendations directly to smallholder farmers, empowering them to adapt their farming practices to changing weather patterns. 

What’s next? 

The four selected ventures will receive continued support through real-world testing with rural communities. This crucial phase will bring their innovations directly to the field, allowing them to gather feedback, test solutions in actual conditions and engage with key stakeholders, including rural communities. 

This real-world testing phase offers several benefits: it enables start-ups to implement their solutions in practical environments, collect valuable user feedback, demonstrate measurable impact, build investor confidence through market validation and refine their business models based on community input. 

As alumni of the ClimAccelerator, these start-ups will gain additional advantages, including opportunities to showcase their solutions at international conferences and access to Climate KIC and SmartLab’s extensive networks. In addition, they can participate in ongoing training through the Adaptation Innovation Cluster in Tanzania, which is pioneering entrepreneurship that strengthens climate resilience of rural populations across the country. By supporting innovations specifically designed for communities most affected by climate change, the programme ensures that solutions address real challenges faced by vulnerable populations. 

This marks the second cohort of start-ups supported through the Tanzania Adaptation and Resilience ClimAccelerator, building on the programme’s commitment to fostering climate innovation in the region.