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Bonn, 23 June 2023: There’s an old saying that youth is the future of the world. The Youth Ecopreneur Award, an initiative that emboldens the young people driving green, sustainable, and circular businesses, embodies this sentiment.

Bôndy International from Madagascar, Sommalife from Ghana, and iPage from Bangladesh have emerged as the frontrunners in the Special Category on Land Restoration of the prestigious Youth Ecopreneur Award 2023.

In an exciting new chapter this year, the Youth Ecopreneur Award launched a Special Category on Land Restoration. This unique category puts the spotlight on young, innovative minds working on ten critical areas of land restoration. The areas range from reforestation, soil conservation, wetland restoration to the application of modern technology to facilitate land restoration.

The winner of this category will receive not only a cash prize of $5,000 but also a wealth of opportunities: training from Google, expert advice on intellectual property protection from WIPO, international exposure through ITC’s spotlight pieces, connections to potential investors, and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to present their business at the World Export Development Forum (WEDF) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

The annual Youth Ecopreneur Award recognizes and celebrates entrepreneurs under 35 who are pushing the boundaries of innovation and creating businesses that are not only viable but also contribute positively to the health of our planet. The award is organized by ITC in partnership with, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Google’s Startups for Sustainable Development program, the G20 Global Land Initiative and Sidley Austin, a multinational law firm.

The selection process for this award was a journey in itself. First, all applicants from countries across Africa, Asia, and South America were asked to detail the essence and impact of their project. The innovators shone a light on how their ideas contribute to restoring our planet, bringing new vigor and energy to the process of transformation.

Ten remarkable projects were selected from 87 applications. Each of these shortlisted candidates offered not just a promise of innovation, but a concrete plan of land restoration. Their endeavors range from manufacturing energy-efficient biomass stoves to transforming forestry projects into investable tokens.

Three contenders for the winning price have emerged from this pool of brilliant minds.

Bôndy International is igniting change by involving local communities in managing forests sustainably. Sommalife is uplifting local producers in Ghana, providing them access to finance, training, logistics, and global markets, all while encouraging environmental conservation. And lastly, iPage is harnessing the power of data, machine learning, and AI to empower farmers in climate-vulnerable zones to optimize the production of high-value crops.

These inspiring finalists, along with four others from the Green Business Solution category of the Youth Ecopreneur Award, will travel to Mongolia to participate in the WEDF. They will pitch their businesses at the event to vie for the coveted titles of winners of the Youth Ecopreneur Awards.

As we eagerly anticipate the announcement of the winners, we should remember the broader implications of this event. The Youth Ecopreneur Awards demonstrate the power of youth, innovation, and sustainability. They are not just about recognition, but about inspiring each one of us to do our bit for the planet.

Young people are not only redefining entrepreneurship but also securing a future for themselves to make sure it’s a future we would all love to live in.

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