SEED Awards

Recognising the achievements of eco-inclusive enterprises globally.

Hogan Lovells Community Solar Innovation Awards 2017: Recipients Revealed

Published: 14 March 2018
The winners of the Hogan Lovells Community Solar Innovation Awards 2017 were revealed today during the 2018 SEED South Africa Symposium in Pretoria. Read more
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2018 Women Stop Hunger Awards to reward exemplary initiatives

Authors: Stop Hunger Source: Stop Hunger
Nonhlanhla Joye, and her start-up Umgibe Farming Organics, which today allows 3,000 families from the Durban townships in South Africa to survive. From a simple and ingenious idea of small crops of fresh vegetables above ground, Nonhlanhla has quickly built an original and sustainable model that empowers women and surrounding communities, creates jobs and boosts local economic activity, among other benefits. Read more
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Celebrating Female Entrepreneurship on International Women’s Day 2018

Published: 08 March 2018Authors: Amar Munnolimath, Zaina Batool
At SEED, we embrace the potential of female entrepreneurs and are committed to empowering women. We not only offer equal-opportunity employment and encourage flexible working arrangements to assist families, but also take data-driven action globally to support women entrepreneurs working towards a greener economy and to accelerate female empowerment, including through our past SEED Gender Equality Award scheme. Read more
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SEED expands its presence in Asia to cultivate a wider network of eco-inclusive enterprises

Published: 08 March 2018
As part of a new strategy to cultivate partnerships, strength local presence, and launch collaboration centres in key regions across the world, SEED is happy to to announce the launch of SEED Thailand. Read more
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SEED Celebrates a Female-Led Enterprise on International Women’s Day

Published: 08 March 2018Authors: Maggie Sloan, Sonya Ong
As we celebrate the achievements of women today, we present the female-led Unique Quality Product Enterprise as part of our launch of the SEED Case Study Series 2018. The new case study series that emanated from the SWITCH Africa Green project "Promoting Eco-Entrepreneurship in Africa", implemented by SEED, showcases how innoative eco-inclusive start-up enterprises in Africa shape sustainable development on the ground. Read more
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Unique Quality Product Enterprise, a SEED Story from Ghana

Published: 07 March 2018
Unique Quality Product Enterprise trains marginalised women suppliers in agronomic practices to farm Fonio, an indigenous grain that has low water requirements and can withstand adverse weather conditions. The enterprise dries, de-husks, packages, stores and markets Fonio cereal products for household consumption. Read more
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Call for Applications for the 2018 SEED Low Carbon Awards

Published: 13 February 2018
The 2018 SEED Low Carbon Awards are available for enterprises in Colombia, India, Tanzania, Thailand and Uganda. Read more
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SEED Award Winners attend the UN Environmental Assembly 2017 Sustainable Innovation Expo

Published: 07 December 2017
SEED Award Winners Muliru Farmers, City Waste Recycling, Dagoretti, and Ecopost attended the UN Environment Assembly on 4-6 December 2017. Read more
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Transform, Innovate, GoSustainable

Published: 28 November 2017Authors: Julia Rohe-Frydrych, Regina Treutwein
Coming up with new ideas is essential for the success of a business. Innovative enterprises are pro-active in solving problems, for instance, in reaching new customers or to refining their value proposition. An often unexplored opportunity for innovation is to integrate social and environmental dimensions into a company's business model.

  Read more
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Help yourself to an ‘Aha’ moment: Organisational Development for eco-inclusive enterprises

Published: 17 October 2017Authors: Kay Eunkyung Kang
My exciting journey with SEED started back in February 2016. As soon as I joined the team, I knew I was in for a whole lot of surprises. Before joining SEED, I had worked at a few Korean companies and governmental affiliations as well as international organisations... Read more
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2017 SAG-SEED Awards Ceremony for three South African Winners

Published: 11 September 2017
South Africa hosted the SAG-SEED Awards Ceremony for three South African winners on 18th August 2017 in Pretoria. Read more
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Over 75 Key Stakeholders discuss Eco-inclusive Enterprises Development in East Africa at SEED Symposium in Kampala

Published: 07 September 2017
The SEED East Africa Symposium 2017 was held on September 5th in Kampala. The successful event brought together enterprises, financial institutions, policy makers, business development service providers and international organisations to explore approaches and cross sectoral partnerships essential to the incubation, consolidation and replication of locally led eco-inclusive business models in East Africa. Read more
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Eco-inclusive enterprises lead the way to West Africa’s sustainable growth - 2017 SEED West Africa Symposium

Published: 28 July 2017
SEED West Africa Symposium 2017 was attended by more than 150 key stakeholders from government, enterprises, financial institutions, policy makers and accelerator programmes from Ghana and Burkina Faso. Read more
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Toolification: My personal journey in shaping the way we do business support at SEED

Published: 24 July 2017Authors: Mirko Zürker
My journey with SEED and providing one-on-one business support for eco-inclusive enterprises started in 2009. Read more
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Meet the 2017 SWITCH Africa Green-SEED Award Winners

Published: 13 July 2017
The 15 winners of this year’s SWITCH Africa Green -SEED Awards were  announced during the UN High Level Political Forum 2017 in New York. Read more
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Fifteen eco-friendly African start-ups receive prestigious SWITCH Africa Green-SEED Awards

Authors: Sangita Khadka, Amar Munnolimath Source: UN Development Programme
New York, 13 July 2017 – Banana-stem bags in Kenya, school benches made from plastic waste in Burkina Faso, improved livelihoods for coffee farmers, and safer mountain gorillas in Uganda—these are some of the 15 winners of this year’s SWITCH Africa Green-SEED Awards announced during the High-Level Political Forum in New York. Read more
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Call for Applications: Hogan Lovells Community Solar Innovation Awards 2017 – Apply Now

Published: 20 June 2017
Hogan Lovells has opened the call for applications for the 'Community Solar Innovation Awards 2017' for eco-inclusive solar enterprises from developing countries until 16 August 2017. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: WASHKing

Published: 12 June 2017
WASHKing produces, supplies and installs biodigester toilets out of eco-friendly material for low-income urban households in order to improve health and economic conditions and to keep the environment clean. Training on using the toilet and after-sales services complement the package. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: Umgibe Farming Organics and Training Institute

Published: 12 June 2017
Umgibe Farming Organics and Training Institute supports local farming co-operatives with access to technology, training and markets. The enterprise capacitates urban and small-scale farmers to graduate into commercial business units using Umgibe’s cost-effective and sustainable growing system. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: RECFAM - PRIDE Pads

Published: 12 June 2017
RECFAM produces organic and biodegradable sanitary pads – PRIDE Pads – out of banana and plantain fibre for schoolgirls and women. Women are integrated into the whole value chain, receiving training and income opportunities. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: Lagazel

Published: 12 June 2017
Lagazel produces and markets sustainable solar lamps to light urban and rural households without access to electricity. The local production generates employment and compared to conventional light sources, the use of solar lamps contributes to climate change mitigation and healthier living conditions. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: iThemba Phakama

Published: 12 June 2017
iThemba Phakama is a voluntary association of informal waste pickers providing tricycles and safety gear to its members. The tricycles are used as an alternative to stolen shopping trolleys that many in the informal waste picking sector use illegally. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: Horizon Business Ventures Limited

Published: 12 June 2017
Horizon Business Ventures processes seed oil extracted from tree seeds and leaves and markets it to the local and international cosmetic industry. The enterprise builds capacity within local seed collection groups and thus offers employment opportunities through sustainable management of existing natural resources. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: Ekasi Energy

Published: 12 June 2017
Ekasi Energy produces biomass cooking fuel and clean cooking appliances for informal settlements with little or no grid power. The alternative clean energy solutions reduce health threats caused by burning wood, charcoal and paraffin fires usually used for cooking. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: Brent Technologies

Published: 12 June 2017
Brent Technologies uses an innovative, low-cost technology (S-TECH) to transform waste motor oil into fresh motor oil, diesel fuel and roofing asphalt shingles. This overcomes shortages of motor oil and diesel fuel and increases transportation to areas that have limited access to basic necessities. Read more
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