Nile Breweries Launches $100,000 Program to Promote Start-Ups

Nile Breweries Limited (NBL) has launched an entrepreneurship promotion program dubbed “100+ Accelerator Cohort 2022” to promote Start-Ups that have embedded sustainable development strategies in their operations.

The program, which is an initiative of NBL’s parent company AB InBev, will provide funding of up to USD 100,000 to each winning applicant whose business is designed to create a more sustainable environment.

Speaking at the launch, NBL Legal and Corporate Affairs Director, Onapito Ekomoloit, said ‘the 100+ Accelerator’ first launched in 2018 works to accelerate the world’s shift toward sustainable solutions where business is done in the right way, not the easy way.

“This seeks to solve supply chain challenges across water stewardship, circular economy, sustainable agriculture, climate action, inclusive growth, and biodiversity,” he said.

Over the last two years, the program has accelerated 70 companies in over 20 countries.

“This year, we are particularly encouraging participation of Ugandan entrepreneurs,” Onapito added.
Former winners currently operating in Uganda under Sustainable Agriculture solutions include Oko Finance and BanQu.

The deadline for the entries is May 15, 2022.

The 100+ Accelerator offers size and scale to passionate entrepreneurs to help bring their solutions to market faster.

Once selected, based on the applicability of their solutions, participants will receive mentorship, training to implement a pilot project with some of the most well-loved brands in the world with the purpose

The 100+ Accelerator identified six challenge statements designed to encourage innovation.

These challenges are intended to support promising ideas and high potential technologies that align with partner goals as well as the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) across six areas: circular economy, smart agriculture, water stewardship, climate action, biodiversity, and inclusive growth (equity, diversity and inclusion).

Last year, The Coca Cola Company, Colgate-Palmolive Company and Unilever joined AB InBev to fund and pilot sustainable innovation in supply chains under the 100+ Accelerator’s ambitious, collaborative, and global program that runs on an annual basis.

“No one company or organization can solve today’s sustainability challenges alone. The 100+ Accelerator establishes partnerships with scientists, innovators, entrepreneurs and companies around the world to identify and scale new sustainability solutions,” Onapito elaborated.

The 100+ Accelerator program is an innovation platform designed to exponentially fuel the growth of sustainability start-ups.

This year’s approach is focusing on six challenges including; Circular Economy, Smart Agriculture, Water Stewardship, Climate Action, Biodiversity, and Inclusive Growth (equity, diversity and inclusion).