Pachi Panda Challenge names first national winners
The three teams will represent Uganda at the Africa finals in South Africa, competing against innovators from Zambia, Nigeria, Cameroon and South Africa.
MTN staff pose for a group photo with the winners of inaugural Pachi Panda Innovation Challenge. (Photo by Ali Twaha)
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MTN Uganda and the World Wide Fund (WWF) for Nature have named three winning teams in the inaugural Pachi Panda Innovation Challenge, closing a months-long search for youth-led climate and sustainability solutions.
FarmGate Digital, an online platform that links farmers with traders, won the top award of sh15m. The KampalaBuzzline, a bee conservation project, took the first runner-up slot with sh10m, while EcoDrop, a plastic recycling initiative, placed third and earned sh5m.
The three teams will represent Uganda at the Africa finals in South Africa, competing against innovators from Zambia, Nigeria, Cameroon and South Africa.
MTN chief executive Sylvia Mulinge said the results showed that young innovators are already shaping practical responses to climate pressure and resource constraints.
She said the challenge aligned with MTN’s Ambition 2025 strategy, which puts sustainability and digital innovation at its centre.
WWF Uganda country director Ivan Tumuhimbise said the finalists offered solutions that move beyond ideas and into workable tools that can strengthen Uganda’s resilience.
The challenge, first launched in Zambia in 2022, has expanded into five African countries. Uganda’s edition drew strong interest, with 12 finalists undergoing a week of training in business modelling, prototyping and market testing before their final pitch session.