The Global Innovation Initiative Group (GIIG) Africa recently announced its participation in the Gigaton Opportunity Initiative, launched by Social Alpha and RISE as part of Mission Innovations Net-zero compatibility innovations initiative (NCI). GIIG will outline what is needed for African start-ups and the African innovation ecosystem to become a global solution provider and deliver positive impact on the gigaton scale at the Mission Innovation ministerial in conjunction with the G20 energy summit in India from 19 to 22 July 2023.
The Gigaton Opportunity Initiative focuses on human needs and how climate actions can ensure a future where everyone can live flourishing lives, rather than only focus on emission reductions in existing systems by identifying and supporting accelerators, incubators and initiatives that support the new generation of globally sustainable solutions. Africa, expected to house one-third of the world’s population by the end of the century, is central to this mission as Africa is likely to have the largest proportion of young entrepreneurs during this transition.
The expected outcome from the Gigaton Opportunity initiative and the participation from GIIG Africa relies heavily on the involvement of various cities and regions, and Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), host of the Global Startup Awards (GSA) Africa 2022/23 Summit in October 2023, plays a significant role. African cities represent untapped opportunities of gigaton proportions for the development of solutions that could change the world. Together with the Gigaton Opportunity, GIIG will bring cities in Africa that export, or want to export sustainable solutions, to COP28.
“As the main focus is on delivering solutions for a future where everyone can live flourishing lives, Africa is at the core of The Gigaton Opportunity/GIIG collaboration,” said Dennis Pamlin, an internationally renowned sustainability strategist and executive director of Mission Innovations Net-Zero Compatibility Innovations Initiative (NCI). “GIIG’s work across Africa, combined with its international reach, makes it a crucial stakeholder for a future of the innovation ecosystem to deliver globally sustainable solutions.”
The world needs to acknowledge the invaluable role start-ups play in building a sustainable innovation ecosystem for the 21st century. Two African startups, Kubik and Envisionit Deep AI, are examples of the kind of innovations this collaboration hopes to nurture. They will present their solutions at the MI/G20 meeting, highlighting the role of African innovators in addressing global challenges.
“GIIG Africa exists to find, fund, and grow globally relevant innovation in Africa via the Global Startup Awards Africa, GIIG Africa Fund 2, and the GIIG Africa Foundation,” says Jo Griffiths, co-founder of GIIG. “With our growing pipeline with thousands of solutions we are investing, developing local and national economies, and pioneering global solutions. The One Earth, the One Family, the One Future need Africa. And we are ready to scale at a gigaton rate.”
This partnership underscores the importance of giving global visibility to the African innovation ecosystem, and plays key role in The Gigaton Opportunity Initiative’s agenda in the upcoming COP28 climate conference at the UNFCCC Global Innovation Hub.
GIIG Africa invites all interested parties to join in this transformative initiative.
For more information or partnership inquiries, please contact Jo Griffiths at jo@giig.africa.
For more information about the MI/G20 meeting, visit https://cem-mi-india.org/.
About the Global Opportunity Initiative: https://gigaton-opportunity.misolutionframework.net
About Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatibility Innovations Initiative: https://www.misolutionframework.net
UNFCCC Global Innovation Hub: https://unfccc.int/topics/un-climate-change-global-innovation-hub