Four Kenyans shortlisted as finalists in global innovation contest

david nganga

April 24, 2018 1:51 PM

The four are among 8 African startups are pitching for $500,000 from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers

Four Kenyans are among eight regional inventors selected as finalists in this year’s ASME Innovation Showcase (ISHOW) run by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).

The entrepreneurs were selected from over 150 entries worldwide in the global competition for ventures that focuses on hardware.

The 2018 ASME ISHOW will feature a range of devices that promise to make a transformational economic, environmental, and social impact in undeserved communities around the world.

“ASME originally created ISHOW after our research showed an urgent need to support hardware innovators seeking to enter global markets and make a societal impact,” said Charla K. Wise, president of ASME.

“We believe this year’s entries all have the potential to address some of the most vexing issues faced by humankind.”

Charcoal briquettes

Ishmael Hezekiah, founder Bentos Fuels, was shortlisted for producing smokeless charcoal briquettes through recycling harvested water hyacinth and mixing it with paper sludge and charred waste biomass.

George Chege founded Smart Brooder, an environmental controller that assists farmers by ensuring the conditions within the chicken brooding space are kept within optimal levels.

Majik Water's Anastasia Kaschenko uses cutting-edge technology combined with locally-adapted design to harvest water from the atmosphere and deliver it to communities that need it most.

On the other hand, Samuel Castro of Biogas Milk Chiller enables off-grid dairy farmers to store, deliver, and sell the highest possible quantity of milk.

The eight will present their innovative design prototypes in Nairobi on May 10.

The winners selected in Nairobi and two other ISHOW events in Bengaluru, India (April 5), and Washington, D.C. (June 21), will share Ksh 50 million ($500,000) in seed grants, technical assistance, design and engineering reviews and access to ISHOW’s partnership network.

david nganga