Unilever, British High Commission and EY announce KES 81 million in funding to five Kenyan Start-Ups

• Five Kenyan start-ups have been selected to receive KES 81 million in funding, out of 1,500 applicants in an open call for innovative solutions to social and environmental issues.
• TRANSFORM – led by Unilever, the British High Commission Nairobi, and EY – has supported 25 other enterprises across East Africa, including Africa’s first recycling B Corp, Mr Green Africa; positively impacting the lives of over one million people in the region.

Nairobi, 31^st July 2024: TRANSFORM, an impact accelerator led by Unilever, the British High Commission (BHC) Nairobi and EY, today announced KES 81 million in grant funding to five Kenyan small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The five finalists, selected from 1,500 applicants to an open call, all set out their ambitions for positive social and environmental impact through their innovative solutions.

• Gwiji improves livelihoods by digitally connecting cleaners to jobs. It aims to support over 10,000 women from low-income communities in Nairobi and increase their daily earnings.

• Novek tests refill models for washing powders through its internet-enabled product dispenser technology with the potential to save thousands of tonnes in plastic waste.

• Syna Consultancy has developed a portable toilet for older adults and people with disabilities, providing comfortable and hygienic sanitation that restores dignity, promotes independence, and enhances health outcomes.

• Ecobora plans to install solar-powered cooking boilers in rural Kenyan schools. They will also pilot pay-as-you-go technology to provide meals for 7,000 students. The goal is to replace firewood in school kitchens, reduce air pollution, and combat deforestation.

• Association of Green Champions (AGC) intends to improve the livelihoods of sellers and harvesters of gum arabic through training, equipment, financing, and market links to workers in Kenya.

In addition to grant funding, TRANSFORM supports visionary enterprises to scale their businesses through a combination of business insight, practical experience, resources and networks. This is the first time that Unilever, the BHC Nairobi and EY have worked together locally in East Africa to find and select entrepreneurs for the programme.

Neil Wigan, the British High Commissioner to Kenya, said:

“These innovative projects represent novel solutions to some of the most critical challenges faced by Kenya and the region. The UK is proud to work with entrepreneurs in the region to support innovative business ideas and create jobs.”

Hadijah Nannyomo, Partner, Indirect Taxes, EY LLP, said:

“It is impactful to have Unilever, EY and the British High Commission collaborate to create meaningful and lasting solutions that improve the local economy and the entrepreneurial innovation landscape. At EY, we believe such collaboration to support visionary impact enterprises is key to unlocking progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and we look forward to our future shared impact.”

Joseph Sunday, Unilever’s East and West Africa Director of Corporate Affairs & Sustainability, said:

“TRANSFORM has been an invaluable partner in Unilever Kenya’s journey to enhance livelihoods. Our longstanding collaboration has empowered SMEs across East Africa, with our dedicated employees championing and mentoring organizations like Gwiji and Novek. As we prioritize sustainability, TRANSFORM is pivotal in addressing livelihoods and plastics. We are committed to unlocking opportunities, enabling small and growing businesses to scale viable solutions, create jobs, stimulate long-term economic growth, and generate environmental and social benefits. We eagerly look forward to supporting more enterprises in the future and being an integral part of this dynamic ecosystem.”

ENDS

Note to Editors:

About TRANSFORM

• TRANSFORM is an impact accelerator that unites corporates, donors, investors and academics to support visionary enterprises. Together, we test and scale new solutions that support low-income households by tackling environmental challenges, improving health and wellbeing, and building inclusive economies.
• We combine grant funding, business insight, practical experience, resources and networks. Our tailored approach creates evidence that we share widely to help leaders across the world solve global challenges.
• TRANSFORM is based on a desire to address urgent issues by learning from each other. Established in 2015 and led by Unilever, the UK’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office and EY, we have a proven model and an ambition to increase our impact across Africa, Asia and beyond.
• We TRANSFORM lives by tackling global challenges through life-changing enterprise.
• Globally, TRANSFORM supports 125 projects across 17 countries, and has positively impacted over 16 million lives. In East Africa specifically, TRANSFORM has supported 25 SMEs, positively impacting more than one million people in the region. For more information on TRANSFORM, visit: www.transform.global

About Unilever

Unilever is one of the world’s leading suppliers of Beauty & Wellbeing, Personal Care, Home Care and Nutrition, with sales in over 190 countries and products used by 3.4 billion people every day. We have over 100,000 employees and generated sales of €59.6 billion in 2023.  For more information about Unilever and our brands, please visit www.unilever.com.  

British High Commission, Nairobi

• You can follow UK activity in Kenya on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@UKinKenya)  
• Find the UK-Kenya strategic partnership joint statement here. 

About EY

EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, strategy and transactions and consulting services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities.

EY refers to the global organisation, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. For more information about our organisation, please visit ey.com.