By; Mupiri Matthias
Windhoek, June 22 – Proposals for the second round of the Capricorn Foundation Food Waste Challenge, which began in April 2023, came in. The Capricorn Foundation requested ideas to build or grow self-sufficient Social Enterprises (businesses) to alleviate Namibia’s food waste problem and create jobs for Namibians.
proposals for the Challenge concluded on May 22, 2023, and are considered a big success, with 152 proposals filed on an open innovation platform, with the majority of contributions coming from Namibia and Botswana. A panel of experts reviewed the ideas based on pre-defined criteria. Five finalists were chosen to compete in the final round for a N$100,000 cash reward from the Capricorn Foundation and a N$50,000 brand package from Synergi.
The ultimate assessment event took place on 22 June 2023, where the five finalists competed for dominance at Capricorn Group’s Head Office’s “Eagles Den.” Each finalist had 30 minutes to propose their company idea to a panel of judges, with 10 minutes for questioning from the judges. Albe Botha, CEO of NMH, Ericah Shafuda, deputy director of the UN World Food Programme in Namibia, Sara Ekondo, winner of the 2022 Capricorn Foundation Food Waste Challenge and owner of Awana Foods, Marsia Reed, CEO of the Lithon Foundation, and Chris Matthee, Executive Officer of Capricorn Private Wealth comprised the panel of judges.
Business Box provided mentorship to the top five finalists, which helped the entrepreneurs prepare themselves for their presentations during the Eagles Den final round of judging. The panel of judges’ evaluation criteria concentrated on the most important aspects of business plans, the goods and services offered, the team leading the company, crucial operations, high-level financial projections, the effect the company will have on reducing food waste and unemployment in Namibia, and investment and funding requirements.
The final recommendations were creative, emphasizing the preservation of nutritional content, increased protein sources, extended shelf life, and sustainability of food resources. The leading contenders are: SuperFly Bio Converters CC from Windhoek focuses on sustainability, including food waste recycling, sustainable insect protein products, and natural fertilizer. Ndinandali Farm operating in Opuwo developed an innovative app. The Impact Tank Analysis Foundation from Windhoek proposes a business idea of composting food waste at the household level, retail establishments, and the food service industry in Namibia using the iCompost technology that composts organic waste in 6 hours. Nova Research Consultancy (NRC) from Walvis Bay seeks to end hunger and create employment opportunities by using seafood heads and livers to make food products for human consumption, Eagle Foodhub App from Rundu offers an app to enable restaurants, shops, and individuals to donate excess food through their app and web platform, connecting them with food shelters and orphanages.
On July 13, 2023, the ultimate winner will be declared.
Namibia Media Holdings (NMH) has developed a show that follows the five finalists’ journey from their announcement, including highlights from the final presentation in the Eagles Den. The show will air in the days leading up to the announcement of the ultimate winner.
“The Capricorn Foundation remains committed to being a Connector of Positive Change and has launched this innovative initiative to seek new opportunities in addressing the basic need for food security and providing employment that will positively impact society and improve Namibians’ quality of life.” “The Capricorn Foundation collaborated with Business Box, which mentored the finalists, Namibia Media Holdings as the official media partner, and Synergi, which is sponsoring a brand makeover to the overall winner,” said Rikus Grobler, Capricorn Group’s Manager of Innovation and Challenge project coordinator.
