Zindigi Prize: 2 MKU Students Bag Regional Innovation Award

Two Mount Kenya University students have been named the overall winners of the Zindigi Prize, sponsored by Zindigi JS Bank in Pakistan.

Bettina Maruti and Esbon Ogetto bagged the award after beating 38 start-ups from six institutions.

In a colourful event hosted at St Paul’s University, Limuru, the duo pitched their start-up, Nanaheal Enterprises, which is repurposing pineapple waste into a biofertilizer that sequesters carbon from the atmosphere. This increases farm productivity while creating jobs, especially for women and youth.

The event brought together innovative minds from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), University of Nairobi (UoN), African Nazarene University, MKU, KCA, and St. Paul University who pitched their innovations to a panel of judges and industry players.

One of the MKU student who won the award. — One of the MKU students who won the Zindigi Prize during the awards ceremony. Photo/MKU.

After rounds of pitch presentations, NanaHeal Enterprise, currently part of the university’s innovation and incubation centre, emerged victorious, securing the top spot in the competition.

As the winners, they received a cheque for Ksh 13.8 million (100,000 Pakistan Rupees) and an opportunity to present their innovation on a global stage in Pakistan in late December for a chance to win a grand prize of Ksh 138.64 million (1,000,000 Pakistan Rupees).

“As finalists in three more pending international innovation contests, we are now more energised to put our best foot forward,” said one of the students, Esbon Ogetto.

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