Idea Foundry launched its first Pitch to Save the World competition in Uganda late last year in partnership with Ortus Capital Africa and local engagement partners including TechBridge Invest, Diwala, Response Innovation Lab, and United Social Ventures. The idea behind this competition is to highlight growing startups and businesses which address at least one of the UN's Sustainability Goals, making our world a healthier, safer place to live. We believe that local solutions to local challenges contribute in a large way to overall development towards these goals. The PTSTW competition is designed to reach a wide spectrum of these local solutions, raising awareness of finalists through a pitch competition, and supporting winners with cash awards to grow their business and impact. 

We received over 150 applicants covering a wide range of impact goals, from which we selected 10 finalists who pitched in a live stream in our closing event in January. The event brought an audience of over 80 investors, Entrepreneurial Support Organization representatives, and fellow entrepreneurs. The three winners were chosen for their strong value proposition, team, and commitment to impact.

The winners were: Sio Valley Technologies, developing natural coatings to extend the shelf life of exported produce, Takataka Plastics, managing plastic recycling supply chains to create jobs and upcycled products, and Yo-Waste, managing on-demand trash and recycling collection to support zero-waste communities.  We awarded each of the winners with a cash prize and are truly looking forward to watching these companies journey towards continued growth and impact.