Two Kenyan companies have made it to the global stage as finalists for the prestigious 2024 Earthshot Prize, a £1 million environmental award founded by Prince William. d.light, a leading provider of solar home systems, and Keep It Cool, a company offering solar-powered refrigeration solutions, are among 15 global finalists competing for the £1 million prize. They are joined by GAYO, a youth-led waste management initiative from Ghana, marking a strong African presence in the competition.
The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in Cape Town, South Africa, on November 6, 2024. For more information about The Earthshot Prize and the 2024 finalists, visit www.earthshotprize.org.
d.light and Keep It Cool Shine Globally
d.light, a Kenyan company that provides affordable solar home systems, has been instrumental in bringing clean energy solutions to off-grid communities across the country. Keep It Cool, another innovative Kenyan business, specializes in solar-powered refrigeration, addressing the critical need for sustainable cooling solutions, particularly in areas with limited access to electricity. Both companies are recognized for their significant contributions to tackling climate change and promoting sustainable living.
They will compete with other global innovators across six continents, including first-time finalists from France, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, and Nepal. Each finalist was selected from a pool of nearly 2,500 nominations spanning 139 countries, making this year’s Earthshot Prize the most competitive yet.
Championing Environmental Solutions
The Earthshot Prize, founded in 2020, aims to discover, accelerate, and scale groundbreaking environmental solutions that can help repair and regenerate the planet. The prize is focused on five key goals known as the ‘Earthshots’: Protect and Restore Nature, Clean Our Air, Revive Our Oceans, Build a Waste-Free World, and Fix Our Climate. Five winners—one for each Earthshot—will walk away with £1 million in prize money to further develop their solutions.
Prince William, Founder and President of The Earthshot Prize, commended the finalists, saying, “These finalists are leading the way in solving some of the most urgent environmental challenges. Their groundbreaking work is inspiring hope and action as we work to create a sustainable future for generations to come.”
A Boost for Kenya’s Innovation and Climate Action
Kenya’s strong representation in this global contest reflects the country’s growing influence in the renewable energy and climate action sectors. Both d.light and Keep It Cool have long been at the forefront of delivering practical, scalable solutions to environmental challenges. Their inclusion as finalists not only highlights Kenya’s innovation capacity but also emphasizes the role local enterprises play in addressing global environmental issues.
In addition to the prize money, the finalists will receive mentorship, technical support, and access to The Earthshot Prize’s Global Alliance of Partners. This network, which includes major global companies like Safaricom, Microsoft, and Unilever, will provide resources and opportunities to accelerate the growth of the finalists’ solutions.
A Global Platform for Change
The Earthshot Prize has become a global platform for inspiring leadership and innovation in climate action. Since its inception, the Prize has unlocked over £75 million in direct and in-kind support for its finalists. This year marks a major milestone, bringing the total number of global solutions honored as finalists to 60.
The support provided by The Earthshot Prize and its Global Alliance Partners will help these companies not only expand their operations but also create lasting impacts on communities around the world. For Kenya, the achievements of d.light and Keep It Cool could serve as a catalyst for further innovation in the green energy and environmental sustainability sectors.
As the world watches Cape Town on November 6, Kenyans will be rooting for their homegrown innovators, hoping to see them win the coveted £1 million prize and continue to drive positive change, both locally and globally.
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