Namibia firms reach GreenPitch finals
Namibia will be represented by three homegrown green businesses after they were selected as finalists in the 2026 FNF Afri GreenPitch Challenge, a continental competition recognising innovative businesses developing practical solutions to environmental and sustainability challenges.
The three companies, EBIKES4AFRICA, Flushh and Green Brine Technologies, were chosen from about 310 entries submitted by entrepreneurs from Botswana, eSwatini, Kenya, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Tanzania. The organisers, GreenCape and Westerwelle Startup Haus Mombasa, in partnership with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF), announced the finalists this week.
The competition showcases businesses operating across sectors including renewable energy, the circular economy, sustainable agriculture, water and wastewater management, and sustainable mobility. The selected businesses will now compete in regional "Shark Tank-style" pitch events before investors and judging panels in Cape Town on 3 September and Nairobi on 25 September.
EBIKES4AFRICA earned a place among the finalists for its African BushBike, a rugged, solar-ready utility electric bicycle designed specifically for African conditions. The company aims to provide affordable, off-road transport for farms, rural communities and businesses while reducing dependence on fossil fuels and lowering transport costs.
Flushh was recognised for its innovative approach to sanitation through a waterless sanitation-as-a-service model. The company addresses water scarcity by providing sanitation systems that require no water while converting waste into valuable resources through circular economy principles.
Green Brine Technologies was selected for developing technology that desalinates industrial wastewater while producing high-purity chemicals locally. Its solution reduces industrial waste and helps replace imported chemicals with locally manufactured alternatives, strengthening regional supply chains while supporting more sustainable industrial production.
Collectively, the finalists are tackling challenges ranging from agricultural waste and renewable energy to wastewater treatment, precision farming and climate-smart technologies.
According to the organisers, the growing number and quality of entries demonstrate the increasing maturity of Africa's green economy and the role entrepreneurs are playing in creating practical, market-driven environmental solutions.
FNF programme manager Kwezi Sogoni said expanding the competition beyond South Africa marked an important step in strengthening collaboration among African entrepreneurs.
"The expansion of the FNF Afri GreenPitch Challenge beyond South Africa marks an exciting new chapter for green innovation on the continent," Sogoni said.
GreenCape chief executive Mike Mulcahy said the competition had evolved significantly since it was first launched during Cape Town's Day Zero drought.
"What started as a search for innovation to deal with the Day Zero drought in Cape Town has grown into a launchpad for SMMEs in the green economy," he said.
Before presenting their businesses to judges, the finalists will participate in investor engagement sessions and capacity-building workshops hosted by RMB Ventures and financing specialists Viridian.
The overall winners will be selected during the September pitch events and will receive a share of cash and business support prizes worth approximately $20,000.
