On 26 February 2026, in Abidjan, the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), in partnership with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the Government of Côte d’Ivoire, hosted a landmark joint event at Sofitel Abidjan: the first Pitch Competition and Graduation ceremony for the GENIE Project’s second cohort. The event marked a significant milestone in advancing green entrepreneurship and digital transformation among Ivorian youth.

Funded with a total budget of USD 9 million, the “Youth Economic Empowerment through Green Entrepreneurship and Digital Transformation” (GENIE) project aims to equip 45,000 young Ivorians with digital and green skills necessary to thrive in a low-carbon economy. The competition and graduation ceremony reflected the project’s growing impact in strengthening Côte d’Ivoire’s green entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Following a rigorous selection process, 61 innovative projects were narrowed down to 15 finalists. During the competition, each “Greenpreneur” was given 15 minutes –  a 5-minute pitch followed by 10 minutes of questions from an independent jury of experts – to demonstrate their project’s viability, scalability, and environmental impact. The finalists presented solutions spanning agribusiness, clean energy, and biotechnology, representing cities from San Pedro to Korhogo.

One of the 15 finalists pitching her project

To catalyze the next phase of growth, the GENIE project awarded a total of USD 100,000 in seed funding to five outstanding winners. The prize structure was designed to support both early-stage innovators and established green businesses. In the Aspirant Entrepreneur category, two winners received USD 14,000 and USD 11,000 respectively to bring their concepts to market. In the Entrepreneur in Activity category, three ventures received USD 30,000, USD 25,000, and USD 20,000 to scale operations and expand market reach.

The 5 winners posing together

Beyond the pitch competition, the event celebrated the graduation of the online Cohort 2. In 2025 alone, the Greenpreneur Program supported 112 entrepreneurs, building a strong pipeline of talent committed to driving Côte d’Ivoire’s transition toward sustainable and inclusive green growth.

The event also strengthened collaboration across the ecosystem, bringing together government representatives, development partners, diplomatic missions including the United Kingdom, Canada, and the Netherlands, as well as major investment partners such as Bolt and Seedstars Africa. By bridging emerging entrepreneurs with established investors and ecosystem actors, the initiative reinforced its commitment to building a thriving digital green economy in Côte d’Ivoire.