Drones, AI, biofertilizers: Youth entrepreneurs bring fresh ideas to UN land talks
From using drones to spread seeds in Brazilian forests, to artificial intelligence tools to advise Kenyan farmers, the Ye! Youth Entrepreneurs are bringing their innovative businesses to the UN land conference.
This December, 12 youth ecopreneurs are heading to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for the 16th session of the Congress of Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. Known as COP16, this landmark event focuses on global action on land and drought resilience through a people-centered approach. Held from 2 to 13 December, the event carries the theme: Our Land. Our Future.
Youth Ecopreneurs at COP16
Our youth ecopreneurs will take the global stage during the conference’s Business 4 Land Forum, to pitch their ideas and share their inspiring journeys in the Land of Opportunities Pitch Competition. They’ll compete for a cash prize and the chance to elevate their businesses to the next level. The other entrepreneurs will have the chance to pitch their businesses at the Innovation Stage and participating in various side events.
Youth Ecopreneurs at COP16:
- Christian Adoh, Bio Planet TMC
- Tonthoza Uganja, Sustainable Farming Solutions
- Maryanne Gichanga, AgriTech Analytics Ltd
- Andres Bisono Leon, SOS Biotech/SOSCarbon
- Martina Sikawa, Chemolex Company Limited
- Rokiatou Traore, Herou Alliance
- Julia Mensa, Nunatak Biotech
- Lilan Dayananda, Elzian Agro
- Chimegsaikhan Munkhbayar, Nomads Agritech Innovations
- Manuel Olmos Munevar, The Ecosystem Carbon Conservation
- Fernando De Lucca Moreno, Ceres Seeding
- Kemo Fatty, Green-Up Gambia
Make sure to come to the Restoration Pavillion to hear their pitches and find out more about their businesses.
Youth Ecopreneurs snag awards and investments
Earlier this year, 25 bright young entrepreneurs with innovative green business ideas were selected to join the Accelerator stage of the prestigious Ye! Youth Ecopreneur Programme (YECO). From April to September 2024, the programme provided customized support to refine their ventures and position them for success. Their journey culminated at the Ye! Youth Ecopreneur Awards Ceremony in New York in September 2024, where they connected with global investors, forged partnerships, and showcased their ventures to a worldwide audience.
Since then, these young changemakers have seized new opportunities, scaled their businesses, and made meaningful changes in their communities. Two entrepreneurs were invited to participate in the UN climate talks in Azerbaijan, contributing to roundtable discussions on climate change.
Here are some highlights of their remarkable achievements:
- Maryanne Gichange, CEO of AgriTech Analytics Limited (Kenya), and Charles Oyamo of Rethread Africa (Kenya) emerged as winners in the Land Restoration and Green Business Solution categories, respectively.
- Julia Mensa, founder of Nunatak Biotech (Argentina), secured a $75,000 investment from an angel investor to scale her biotechnology innovations.
- Ali Khursheed, founder of Aabshar (Pakistan), gained acceptance into the prestigious USA Techstars program, securing $120,000 in funding and $4 million in perks.
- Andres Bisono Leon of SOS Biotech/SOS Carbon (Dominican Republic) was recognized as one of the 30 winning teams at MIT Solve 2024, earning a $160,000 non-refundable prize and multiple awards.
If you are a young ecopreneur who missed this year's call for application, register your interest to be notified for the 2025 intake via this survey.
About the Ye! Youth Ecopreneur Programme (YECO)
The Ye! Youth Ecopreneur Programme (YECO), powered by the International Trade Centre and the G20 Global Land Initiative (UNCCD), supports young entrepreneurs who are leading the way in green business innovation and advancing sustainable solutions. YECO is a comprehensive journey encompassing the Global Bootcamp with training and workshops, the Global Accelerator with coaching, mentorship, and tailored masterclasses, and culminating in the Ye! Youth Ecopreneur Awards. This year, YECO attracted over 850 applications from more than 100 countries, with 125 exceptional young entrepreneurs selected to participate in the Global bootcamp, where they received workshops and seized the opportunities to build their business capacity and network with other young entrepreneurs.
