Enviro News Asia, Abidjan — The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), in partnership with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the Government of Côte d’Ivoire, hosted the first Pitch Competition and Graduation Ceremony for the GENIE Project’s second cohort on 26 February 2026 in Abidjan. The landmark event took place at Sofitel Abidjan Hôtel Ivoire and marked a major milestone in advancing green entrepreneurship and digital transformation among Ivorian youth.
The event brought together government representatives, development partners, diplomatic missions including the United Kingdom, Canada, and the Netherlands, and investment partners such as Bolt and Seedstars Africa. Organizers aimed to strengthen collaboration across the entrepreneurial ecosystem and connect emerging innovators with investors and institutional partners.
The GENIE project, officially titled “Youth Economic Empowerment through Green Entrepreneurship and Digital Transformation,” operates with a total budget of USD 9 million. The initiative seeks to equip 45,000 young Ivorians with digital and green skills necessary to compete in a low-carbon economy. The pitch competition and graduation ceremony demonstrated the project’s expanding impact in reinforcing the country’s green enterprise landscape.
After a rigorous screening process, organizers shortlisted 15 finalists from an initial pool of 61 innovative projects. Each Greenpreneur delivered a five-minute pitch followed by a ten-minute question-and-answer session before an independent expert jury. The finalists presented scalable and environmentally responsible solutions across agribusiness, clean energy, and biotechnology, representing cities from San Pedro to Korhogo.
To accelerate business growth, the GENIE project awarded a total of USD 100,000 in seed funding to five winners. In the Aspirant Entrepreneur category, two innovators received USD 14,000 and USD 11,000 to commercialize their ideas. In the Entrepreneur in Activity category, three ventures secured USD 30,000, USD 25,000, and USD 20,000 respectively to scale operations and expand market access.
Beyond the competition, the ceremony celebrated the graduation of Cohort 2 of the online Greenpreneur Program. In 2025 alone, the initiative supported 112 entrepreneurs, building a pipeline of youth-led enterprises contributing to Côte d’Ivoire’s sustainable and inclusive green growth transition.
Through strategic funding, capacity building, and ecosystem partnerships, GGGI and its partners continue to position Côte d’Ivoire as a growing hub for digital innovation and green enterprise in West Africa. (*)
