PepsiCo selects six start-ups for the 2023 Greenhouse Accelerator Program: MENA Sustainability Edition

10x Industry

Mita Srinivasan
10x Industry
Published:

PepsiCo selects six start-ups for the 2023 Greenhouse Accelerator Program: MENA Sustainability Edition

Run in partnership with the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and the Food Tech Valley, the PepsiCo’s accelerator program will help innovative companies from Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Tunisia to identify and scale up groundbreaking sustainable agricultural practices. Each selected startup will receive an initial grant of $20,000 to support their business and help scale up their innovation.

PepsiCo has selected six companies that will be a part of the second cohort of its Greenhouse Accelerator Program: MENA Sustainability Edition, focused on sustainable agriculture. In partnership with UAE’s Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) and Food Tech Valley, PepsiCo’s Greenhouse Accelerator Program intends to unlock innovative and disruptive agricultural solutions in partnership with purpose-driven start-ups from the region that share PepsiCo’s vision for a more sustainable food system.

The six shortlisted companies, Dooda Solutions, NoorNation, RoboCare, SmartWTI, Smart Green, and YY ReGen, were selected from over 180 applications across the MENA region. Each of the companies bring a unique level of expertise and innovative solution to the table from all aspects of the agriculture value chain from water preservation to soil cultivation.

Aamer Sheikh, CEO, Middle East at PepsiCo, said, “We are delighted to continue our partnership with MOCCAE and the Food Tech Valley in search of pioneering solutions that help us strengthen the resilience of our food system. This year, we have embarked on a search for transformative direct farming innovations that increase agricultural productivity while conserving our precious natural resources for the next generations. I was impressed with the calibre of the participants in the second cohort, and I am confident that together, we can blaze new trails in sustainable agriculture.”

  • Dooda Solutions, a woman-led earthworm farm from Lebanon, specializes in raising worms and producing premium-grade vermicompost (organic fertilizers) at commercial scale.

  • NoorNation, a renewable energy start-up from Egypt, aims to provide sustainable decentralized energy and water infrastructure solutions.

  • RoboCare from Tunisia specializes in using technology to provide a digital monitoring system for preventing the late detection of plant disease, enabling fast propagation, and reducing pesticide use.

  • SmartWTI, an IoT/AI solutions provider from Jordan, specializes in designing and manufacturing water management solutions to enable the Internet of Things (IoT).

  • Smart Green, another Jordanian start-up, provides Agri-tech solutions to agribusinesses for Digital Transformation from traditional agriculture to modern agriculture.

  • YY ReGen, another Lebanese start-up, provides innovative solutions through the promotion of renewable energy, sustainable water management, and regenerative farming.

These startups have the potential to disrupt the sustainable agriculture industry and make a positive, lasting impact on society. Each will receive an initial grant of $20,000 to support their business and help scale up their innovation, along with guided mentorship from regional subject matter professionals, as well as PepsiCo and Food Tech Valley experts. At the end of the six-month program, one winning company will be awarded an additional $100,000 in funding to continue its expansion and have an opportunity to extend its collaboration with PepsiCo to further expedite its growth.