By Panagrimedia Reporter, October 30, 2023, — The Mombasa Plastics Prize (MPP) has announced the start of the MPP Incubator, the second phase of MPP. Implemented by Challenge Works and funded by USAID, the MPP Incubator will support the growth of sustainable businesses led by young entrepreneurs to tackle marine plastic waste in Mombasa County.
Building on the success of the initial phase, the incubator aims to support teams from the initial phase of the project to create sustainable businesses that significantly impact the mitigation of marine plastic waste pollution in Mombasa County’s informal settlements. To achieve this goal, the teams selected to participate will: Formalize their businesses and establish their operational structure; Refine their business ideas to generate sustainable and viable business plans; Increase the capabilities and skill sets of their teams; Develop and implement their working prototypes to be market-ready; Establish partnerships with the innovation ecosystem; and Monitor and evaluate the impact of their solution on marine plastic waste pollution.
The three winning teams from the initial phase of MPP: Twende Green Ecocycle, Plastic Taka Creatives, and Oceania Pacesetters will join, Team Furies, Rafiki Peps, Team Boma, Eco-Print Generations, Plas-Tech and Eco-Building Solutions.
These teams will benefit from financial support and training, including mentoring, coaching and training provided by expert partners from across Mombasa County.
“Incubator programs give early-stage businesses access to mentorship, investors and support to help them become established and sustainable,” Jonty Slater, Director of International Development at Challenge Worfis on the the importance of incubators for startups
Tackling the widespread issue of marine plastic waste in Mombasa County is at the heart of this initiative. With only 52 percent of waste collected by formal services and 20 percent of daily waste being plastic, informal settlements in the county are severely impacted by inadequate waste management services.
“I am proud of the journey each business represented today has taken to contribute to the urgent issue of plastic pollution affecting Mombasa County’s informal settlements,” Basil Muga, Chief Sustainability Officer, Mombasa County congratulating the innovators who advanced into the MPP Incubator.
Furthermore, Muga highlighted the crucial role Challenge Works and USAID have played in nurturing the innovators’ ideas with necessary mentorship and funding, bringing these transformative solutions to reality.
Beyond reducing plastic waste, the MPP Incubator aims to inspire Mombasa County residents to reduce plastic waste, whilst also benefiting and creating new jobs.
