Africa’s youth, tech, and green innovators reshape the continent’s business future

Africa’s business landscape is evolving at breakneck speed. From young farmers transforming agriculture to startups scaling across continents and eco-entrepreneurs turning waste into opportunity, the continent’s innovators are rewriting the rules of growth.

Youth Take the Lead in Agriculture

At the Africa Food Systems Forum 2025 in Dakar, the spotlight was firmly on the continent’s youth. The message was clear: Africa’s food future lies in their hands.

Young innovators are reimagining farming, shifting it away from subsistence toward a modern, technology-driven sector that creates jobs and addresses climate challenges. From precision farming apps to climate-smart practices, youth-led solutions are injecting new energy into agriculture — a sector still employing the majority of Africans.

“Smallholder farmers face barriers to finance, technology, and markets,” said Alvaro Lario, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). “But when youth bring innovation into the picture, farming becomes a business, not just survival.”

African Startups Go Global

Beyond agriculture, Africa’s technology scene is maturing fast — and expanding its footprint well beyond the continent. Despite a global funding slowdown, African startups are raising billions, minting unicorns, and, for the first time, scaling into Latin America and Europe.

According to new data from TechCabal’s Africa Investor Guide, African innovation is no longer just attracting venture capital — it is being exported. Startups from Uganda, Nigeria, and Tunisia are proving that African solutions can compete on a global stage, reshaping perceptions of the continent’s role in the digital economy.

This shift marks a turning point: Africa is moving from being a testing ground for innovation to a global hub of scalable, investment-ready businesses.

Waste to Wealth in Morocco

In northern Morocco, innovation is taking a decidedly green turn. What was once shrimp waste, discarded in piles, is now being repurposed into organic fertilizer by PGPR Technologies.

Founded by two young entrepreneurs, the startup transforms shells into soil-enriching products that boost yields and restore degraded land. The approach not only supports sustainable agriculture but also demonstrates how local solutions can drive global impact.

“Every shrimp shell we recycle is a step toward healthier soils and higher productivity,” the founders explained. “It’s about showing that nothing is waste — only opportunity.”