Eight African Entrepreneurs Selected for ASME Innovation Showcase Accelerator

Eight African entrepreneurs have been selected by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) as regional finalists for the ASME Innovation Showcase (ISHOW). This international accelerator program focuses on hardware-led social innovation designed to improve quality of life and deliver positive social and environmental impact.

The selected entrepreneurs will compete for three spots in the 2026 ISHOW global cohort, which offers grant awards, access to ASME's expert network, and technical support to bring impactful innovations to market. ISHOW is open to individuals and organizations developing physical products aimed at addressing critical challenges for vulnerable populations worldwide.

ASME annually matches up to 30 selected ventures with appropriate engineering experts to ensure the proposed hardware solutions are technologically, environmentally, culturally, and financially sustainable. To date, the program has supported over 250 startups from more than 35 countries.

The African finalists represent diverse solutions across healthcare, renewable energy, and agriculture. These include AISHA, an AI-powered healthcare information assistant; BMTA&C Energy, featuring solar-powered smart refrigeration technology; Ecomobilus Technologies with its "e-Mkoko" solar-powered electric handcart; and KilimoChills, for its solar-powered cold storage room.

Additional finalists are Kumva Insights with its "Farm Smarter Platform"; Orienta for its "HVAD" technology; Team CannaSave for its "CannaSave" system; and Yaaka Investment for its "Yaaka E-waste recycling plant." All aim to tackle significant social and environmental issues through their hardware-based innovations.