Ethiopian Innovators Shine at Start-Up Competition

Three Ethiopian innovators have emerged victorious in Total Energies’ annual start-up competition. Open to entrepreneurs aged 18 to 35 owning businesses less than three years old, the competition aims to support groundbreaking projects across the continent. The competition has awarded 100 innovators from 32 African countries. Total is celebrating its 100th year anniversary. The fourth Ethiopian edition of the Startup of the Year competition was held last week at Skylight Hotel. Menberu Zeleke was recognized for his invention ‘Solar Mekes’, a solar-powered automatic onion root and leaf cutting machine aiming to enhance productivity and save time and energy by harnessing solar energy. Ermiyas Tefera developed ‘Korojo Eco Package and Bags’ which is an eco-friendly and biodegradable packaging. Utilizing agricultural residues like banana pseudo-stems, enset, and rice straw, he aims to replace plastic bags, reduce environmental pollution, and convert agricultural waste into valuable products. Adugna Nigatu, owner of ‘Alene Bio-gel Fuel Production’, focused on producing biogel fuel from spent coffee grounds and bio-based additives. This thick liquid-fuel burns with a clear flame and offers cooking efficiency comparable to gaseous fuels.