Three Kenyan startups have been recognised with top continental awards for their innovative solutions addressing Africa’s social and economic challenges. At the Africa Entrepreneurship Awards 2026, held during the 13th Sankalp Africa Summit in Nairobi on February 25-26, Kenya secured three of the five category prizes, placing its enterprises ahead of competitors from across the continent.
The Sankalp Africa Summit, Africa’s largest gathering focused on entrepreneurship and impact investing, has facilitated over $800 million in capital to African entrepreneurs since its inception in 2014. The 2026 awards drew 16 finalists competing across AgriTech, Circular Tech, Climate Tech, FinTech, and HealthTech categories, with winners selected by a jury of 11 experts from venture capital firms, development finance institutions, and corporate partners.
Rio Fish Ltd, led by CEO Angela Odero, won the AgriTech award for its innovative fish farming model. M-Taka Solutions, under Benson Abila, took the Circular Tech prize for a platform connecting households, waste collectors, and recyclers. Malaica AG, co-founded by Victor Murage Ndegwa, claimed the HealthTech award for its maternal healthcare service.
Other category winners included Nigeria’s Sosai Renewable Energies Ltd, led by Habiba Ali, which won the ClimateTech award for a rural solar energy programme, and Somo Africa Trust, under Managing Director Catherine Masolia, which secured the FinTech award for supporting micro and small enterprises in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
The 13th Sankalp Africa Summit ran under the theme “South-South Rising,” aiming to connect Africa with peers from Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East to explore shared solutions and capital for entrepreneurial growth. Organised by Aavishkaar Group, Intellecap, and the Sankalp Forum, the summit provided a platform to highlight innovative startups driving tangible social and economic impact across Africa.
