The World Export Development Forum (WEDF) has revealed the finalists for this year’s Youth Ecopreneur Awards. The event will be held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia from June 26-29. The competition includes three African and four Asian youth start-ups competing in the Green Business Solutions and Land Restoration categories.
The selected companies from Bangladesh, Egypt, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Madagascar, and Mongolia have been chosen for their dedication to sustainability, circularity, and the green economy, with a particular focus on land restoration. The finalists are iPAGE, Cupmena, Sommalife, Brown Reed Agri Waste Innovations, Liberty Society, Bôndy, and Airee.
During the event, the judging panel, which includes last year’s winner Vedant Ghandi, will evaluate the value proposition, environmental impact, market potential, team strength, and scalability of each business model.
The Youth Ecopreneur Awards aim to connect young entrepreneurs with markets and support entrepreneurship in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The finalists were chosen from a shortlist of 419 companies from 63 countries. Notable companies on the shortlist include Givo Limited from Nigeria, Qubix Robotics from Malawi, Green Composting from Tanzania, and Saathi from India.
The WEDF will focus on the theme “Diversify with Green Trade,” exploring organic, digital, and sustainable solutions. Mongolia, the second-largest landlocked country, will host the event in partnership with the United Nations Country Team for Mongolia.
The International Trade Centre (ITC) is providing support for the event, offering seed funding and capacity-building assistance to the winners. The ITC, a joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations, works to enhance the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises in developing and transitioning economies, contributing to sustainable economic development and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
