Heifer International (AYuTe Africa Challenge)

Competition awarding catalytic grants and technical support to young agritech innovators serving smallholder…

Main Office: Malawi

Ethiopia,Kenya,Malawi,Nigeria,Rwanda,Senegal,Tanzania,Uganda,Zambia,Botswana

3 Portfolio Companies

Investment Range

$2.7k - $40k

Typical check size per portfolio investment

Instruments

Grants

Structure of deployed capital

Technical Assistance

Yes — Provided & Supported

Offers advisory, capacity building, or strategic post-investment support

Target Stages

Idea

Seed

Company maturity & growth phase

About the Funder

Competition awarding catalytic grants and technical support to young agritech innovators serving smallholder farmers.

Investment Thesis & Eligibility

Target Entities

Companies

Mandate & Scope

Combines direct financial capital with technical assistance and governance support.

Regional & Geographic Scope

Active mandate covering Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Botswana. Operates across 10 African countries including Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, and 5 more. Primary operational footprint anchored in Malawi.

Portfolio & Backed Ventures (3)

Verified Backed

Brastorne Enterprises

Growth

Turns basic feature phones into internet-like gateways via USSD, SMS and voice, providing farming, jobs, chat and information services.

BotswanaProfile

Hello Tractor

Matches tractor-owners and farmers via app; provides mechanisation through pay-as-you-go financing; enables access to tractors, booking agents, and climate-smart tools.

KenyaProfile