Kenyan company Keep IT Cool has been awarded the top prize in the ‘Build a Waste-Free World’ category at the prestigious Earthshot Prize ceremony held in Cape Town, South Africa.
Emerging victorious from a pool of 15 global finalists, Keep IT Cool’s innovative solutions have earned them a substantial reward of one million pounds (approximately Sh166.1 million), which will enable the acceleration and scaling of their groundbreaking initiatives. The Earthshot Prize, founded by Prince William and incubated in the Royal Foundation before becoming an independent platform, is a globally renowned environmental award. It aims to discover, accelerate, and scale transformative solutions that can repair and regenerate the planet.
By championing inspirational leadership and supporting cutting-edge innovations, the initiative seeks to foster optimism and drive progress in addressing pressing environmental challenges. Keep IT Cool’s innovative approach centres on providing sustainable, localized refrigeration systems that help small farmers and fishers preserve their produce. By installing solar-powered cold storage units at fish landing sites, the company has significantly reduced spoilage and waste, ensuring the catch remains fresh and enabling more efficient transportation to market.
The company plans to expand its activities into poultry, fruit, and vegetable storage, with the goal of bringing its solutions to more communities across East Africa and beyond. Keep IT Cool Founder and Managing Director Francis Nderitu expresses profound gratitude for the recognition from The Earthshot Prize, reiterating the company’s mission to revolutionize the food supply chain in East Africa.
“We are on a mission to revolutionize the food supply chain in East Africa. We are grateful for the recognition from The Earthshot Prize, and it is an important milestone for Keep IT Cool. We will continue to enhance market access, reduce waste, and build climate resilience for small-scale fish and poultry farmers throughout the region,” Nderitu stated.
In addition to the financial award, each of the 15 Earthshot Prize Finalists will receive dedicated mentorship, resources, and technical support through the year-long Earthshot Prize Fellowship Programme. This comprehensive support aims to help the finalists build upon their achievements and scale their innovations to create a significant positive impact on the environment. Speaking at the event, Prince William emphasized the importance of fostering optimism and possibility in addressing environmental challenges.
“I believe our world can be rich in possibility, in hope, and in optimism. That is why The Earthshot Prize exists. To champion the game-changers, the inventors, the makers, the creatives, the leaders; to help them build upon the amazing things they’ve already achieved; to speed their innovations to scale and to inspire the next generation to create the future we all need,” he said.
