ZaidiApp and WaterBank have been shortlisted for the Africa Prize, a prestigious engineering innovation award recognizing scalable solutions with profound social impact. Mr Kimambo's waste digitization platform and Ms Kuya's solar-powered water utility exemplify the continent's growing capacity to solve critical challenges through technology.
Digitizing Waste Management and Financial Inclusion
Mr Kimambo, founder of ZaidiApp, has pioneered an eco-fintech platform that transforms informal waste collection into a structured, efficient system. The platform not only digitizes waste collection processes but also integrates informal waste pickers into formal economic frameworks.
- Financial Access: The platform provides waste workers and contractors with access to financial services, addressing a critical gap in traditional banking systems.
- Regional Scaling: With support from the Africa Prize, the next phase focuses on strengthening technology infrastructure and embedding financial intelligence features.
- Technology Integration: The model aims to scale regionally, ensuring sustainable waste management across diverse African communities.
WaterBank: Solar-Powered Innovation for Off-Grid Communities
Ms Kuya's WaterBank represents a breakthrough in off-grid water utility solutions. The solar-powered, self-running system filters and desalinates water while leveraging AI to prevent breakdowns and ensure reliability. - afhow
- Cashless Access: Users gain access to water through prepaid radio frequency ID cards, enabling seamless transactions without traditional banking infrastructure.
- Design for Manufacturing: Shortlisted for mentorship on thermal management and durable mass production, WaterBank aims for safe, sustainable scaling.
- Community Impact: The solution targets off-grid communities, addressing a critical water scarcity challenge through renewable energy.
The Africa Prize: Empowering African Engineering Talent
Since its launch in 2014, the Africa Prize has backed 165 businesses across 22 countries, collectively employing more than 40,000 people and benefiting over 11 million people. This year's cohort demonstrates the breadth of engineering talent emerging across the continent.
According to the chair of the judging panel, Ms Rebecca Enonchong, the 2026 shortlist is representative of the diverse range of local engineering solutions addressing crucial challenges in healthcare, education, transport, and sustainability.
From Shortlist to Global Stage
Shortlisted innovators will now enter an intensive eight-month programme providing training, mentorship, and networking opportunities aimed at transforming early-stage ideas into commercially viable ventures. The programme focuses on key areas such as financial management, market analysis, and scaling strategies.
The winner will be announced at a final event scheduled for October in Johannesburg, where four finalists will pitch their solutions to a panel of judges. The overall winner will receive £50,000, while three runners-up will each be awarded £10,000. An additional £5,000 "One-to-Watch" award will be decided by audience vote.
Beyond the financial rewards, participants gain access to a powerful network of industry leaders and investors, positioning them for long-term success in the global market.
