This strategic partnership aims to expand access to efficient cold storage infrastructure across the continent, tackling food waste and empowering rural communities.

Only 5% of African fresh produce enters the cold chain compared to Europe’s 94%. This stark disparity results in devastating losses – 30-50% of food spoils before reaching consumers.

InspiraFarms Cooling has stepped in with its innovative precooling and cold chain technology, tailored for African markets. From cold rooms and pre-coolers to packhouses and long-term storage facilities, their solutions offer:

• Reduced food loss: Extending shelf life and minimizing spoilage.
• Lower energy costs: Utilizing renewable energy options for sustainable operation.
• Market access: Equipping producers to meet stringent export standards.
  Economic empowerment: Generating high-quality rural jobs and boosting incomes.
• Beyond Profit: CEI Africa’s investment recognizes InspiraFarms Cooling’s commitment to both economic and environmental impact. Their solutions not only combat food waste but also:
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions: Food loss accounts for 3.7% of global GHGs, and minimizing it plays a crucial role in climate change mitigation.
  – Promote renewable energy: Their designs prioritize compatibility with clean energy sources.

InspiraFarms Cooling’s journey embodies the potential of technology to drive positive change.

With CEI Africa’s backing, they are poised to revolutionize Africa’s cold chain landscape, ensuring a future where food loss is minimized, rural communities thrive, and sustainability reigns supreme.

This capital injection will enable the company to empower more small-scale farmers with the tools and resources they need to increase their profits, adopt sustainable practices, and boost food security.

Apollo Agriculture leverages cutting-edge technologies like machine learning and automation to address the unique challenges faced by smallholder farmers.

Their platform provides access to top-quality farm inputs, optimized financing and digital advice.

Since its inception, Apollo Agriculture has already made a significant impact, reaching over 350,000 farmers in Kenya and Zambia.

The new investment will allow the company to expand its reach further within Kenya, empowering even more farmers with the digital tools and financial resources they need to thrive.

The funding will not only enhance productivity and profitability but also play a crucial role in promoting sustainable farming practices.

By equipping farmers with the knowledge and resources to adapt to climate change, Apollo Agriculture is contributing to long-term food security across the continent.

Eli Pollak, CEO of Apollo Agriculture, expressed his enthusiasm about the collaboration, stating:

“This partnership with Swedfund and ImpactConnect is a significant milestone for Apollo Agriculture. The investment positions us to rapidly scale our operations, enabling more farmers to access the essential products and financial services they need to feed their families and communities and adapt to climate change.”

“This funding unlocks the potential to serve 400,000 additional farmers during the loan’s term, accelerating Apollo’s growth. We are grateful for the trust and confidence that both Swedfund and ImpactConnect have placed in our vision, and we look forward to achieving transformative growth together.”

The investment round was led by prominent regional investors Shorooq Partners and Algebra Ventures, with participation from existing backer Dubai Future District Fund.

This fresh capital injection will fuel DXwand’s research and development efforts in key areas like knowledge mining, generative AI, and omnichannel conversational AI.

The company’s AI-powered software automates text and voice interactions between businesses, employees, customers, and even government services, available across platforms like call centers, social media, SMS, and websites.

Founded in 2018, DXwand initially focused on building custom chatbots for small businesses.

However, recognizing the need for broader solutions, the company pivoted in 2021 towards corporations and enterprises, offering advanced knowledge mining and Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) capabilities.

“Our initial goal was to overcome the challenge of developing AI that understands Arabic dialects,” shares Mahmoud, CEO of DXwand. “But success led us to refine our business model, targeting a wider market and achieving profitability.”

Today, DXwand boasts over 200 clients across diverse sectors like healthcare, e-commerce, fintech, and government, with its chatbot serving over 40 businesses in the MENA region.

The company facilitates over five million monthly conversations and generates annual recurring revenue exceeding $5 million, demonstrating impressive 2x year-over-year growth.