Alex Muriu accepting his cheque at IPA 2015
Kenyan Alex Mwaura Muriu has won second prize and US$25,000 in the Innovation Prize for Africa (IPA) 2015 awards. Researcher Adnane Remmal was announced the winner and received US$100,000. South African Lesley Erica Scott was awarded the Special Prize for Social Impact and received US$25,000.
The winners were announced at an event in Shikrat, Morocco. The IPA is organized by the Africa Innovation Foundation (AIF) which works to catalyze innovation in Africa.
Alex Muriu, through his company Farm Capital Africa, developed a system to meet the perennial challenge faced by African farmers in accessing capital to finance planting and harvesting by providing an alternative from the burden of financial loans. Farm Capital Africa is a funding platform that enables individual and institutional investors to put money in sustainable agribusinesses ventures in Africa.
Alex Muriu is an entrepreneur, marketing consultant and digital strategist. He has worked for Creative Edge, Scanad Africa and is currently at KCB Group. He has also co-founded Zenith Media, After 6 Labs and Farm Capital Africa.