The Presidential Climate Commission (PCC), the British High Commission to South Africa and other organisations have crowned Samanjalo and Green Guru as the winners of the first Green Solutions Pitch Challenge focused on Mpumalanga.

The other organisations on the judging panel included development programme Grindstone; tech financer Untapped Global; diversified miner Anglo American support programme the Anglo American Foundation; and mining company Seriti Resources’ renewable energy arm Seriti Green.

The winners each received cash prizes sponsored by Seriti Green and renewable energy company Enertrag.

Another company, House Harvest, won the best youth-focused solution and was awarded a cash prize sponsored by the Anglo American Foundation.

Graduated Man of Steel (GMS) won the incubation award, sponsored by cleantech business incubator Sarebi.

The winners were chosen during a pitch event hosted in Emalahleni on November 1. The Green Solutions Pitch Challenge provided the opportunity for entrepreneurs to showcase their innovative efforts and transformative ideas for sustainable solutions.

The initiative forms part of a multiyear project delivered in collaboration with the Mpumalanga Green Cluster Agency by GreenCape, in partnership with the UK Pact programme.

The UK has committed to funding initiatives such as the Green Solutions Pitch Challenge since cleaner forms of energy are integral to helping South Africa to meet its climate change commitments, particularly in Mpumalanga, where many of the country's coal mines are located.

For the British High Commissioner to South Africa, Anthony Phillipson, and the PCC, the challenge marks the start of activating and stimulating green entrepreneurship among young people in Mpumalanga.

“By recognising and rewarding such transformative ideas, we believe in fostering a future where young minds drive sustainable solutions, shaping a world that is environmentally responsible, economically robust, and socially inclusive,” says Anglo American Foundation monitoring, evaluation and learning head Beatrice Watermeyer.

WINNING IDEAS

Samanjalo is a flyash beneficiation business based in Emalahleni that uses technology to beneficiate coal waste into green products, including green cement, bricks, pavers and barricades, that can be used in construction.

Green Guru Solutions offers conscious waste management services, including through Black Soldier fly farming for sustainable food waste disposal in Mbombela and surrounding areas. The company offers safe disposal and production of valuable resources for agriculture and animal feed.

House Harvest is an aquaponics startup selling leafy greens and fish using a circular model of waste management, by incorporating Black Soldier flies.

GMS develops green technology together with institutions to solve problems affecting communities.