Impact Assessments of AgTech, FoodTech and ClimateTech Start-ups

The global project Scaling digital Agriculture Innovations through Start-ups (SAIS) supports selected African AgTech, FoodTech and ClimateTech start-ups and Sri Lankan companies that promote a circular economy in the food sector to scale their digital innovations and reach a larger number of users. SAIS supports start-ups in becoming investment ready through tailored company development measures and connects the start-ups with business partners and investors. The goal is to make the start-ups more attractive to investors, raise capital for growth, and establish and grow sustainably in the market. Additionally, SAIS offers further funding opportunities for start-ups in collaboration with various partners (e.g., Flat6Labs, MelaninKapital, or Startup Wise Guys). The digital products offered by the start-ups must have a positive impact in areas such as income, food security, or climate adaptation. An expansion to biodiversity is planned. In Sri Lanka, SAIS implements its approach to start-up and innovation promotion within the framework of an EU-Cofinancing to reduce plastic waste and food losses. SAIS places a special focus on gender-specific measures to support female founders explicitly and to promote start-ups that offer specific products for women in the agri-food sector. For SAIS, start-ups are a means to scale digital innovations to achieve selected SDGs (primarily 1 and 2). So far, start-ups supported by SAIS have reached over 1 million new customers, 77% of whom have improved their income. In addition, start-ups who completed the SAIS Investment Readiness Programmes (IRPs) have raised over $48 million for scaling to date. The majority of investments are equity or debt investments, demonstrating that SAIS start-ups are in demand in the market. Approach: Scaling requires the use of capital, and this is exactly where SAIS comes in: Through tailored company development measures, the investment readiness of start-ups is improved. This is done within the framework of annual IRPs, of which SAIS is currently implementing three: a regular IRP for English speaking Africa, a French speaking IRP (PPI), and an IRP for livestock start-ups. This increases the chances that start-ups will receive the necessary support and capital for scaling from investors or enter new markets. SAIS is adapting processes of existing innovation systems - such as Silicon Valley - and attempting to apply them to the African context. The upcoming Sri Lankan component will adopt a similar tailored approach, catering to a broader spectrum of businesses. In addition to startups, early-stage ventures and SMEs are also included. Mode of operation: SAIS operates throughout Africa and is expected to also operate in Sri Lanka from 2025 onwards. The majority of the work takes place virtually and digitally, in line with the project's logic, which primarily relies on digitally savvy founders and digital technologies. The majority of the work is managed from the control unit in Germany. In February of each year, SAIS launches its three IRPs for selected start-ups in the agriculture and food sector in Africa and starting 2025 also other Sri Lankan companies. The approximately one-year IRPs are, in a sense, the centerpiece of SAIS.