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Best Mag: Solar and battery powered tractor for Africa gets award

Aftrak, an initiative based out of the UK and Tiyeni of Malawi, a Malawian non-government organisation has won the Milken-Motsepe prize for green energy.

Modern farming is energy consuming as most machines are powered with fossil fuels. However, the last decade has seen a strong trend towards a more sustainable agricultural infrastructure. The outcome is an easy-assembled revolutionary solar and lead-battery-powered tractor, supporting sustainable farming in Africa that has won a major international environmental prize, the Milken-Motsepe prize for green energy.

The project has been co-founded by the Consortium for Battery Innovation (CBI) and the global lead battery manufacturer Clarios, based in Wisconsin, and owner of battery brands like Varta and Optima. The team is led by Loughborough University in the UK.

 

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$2 Million Milken-Motsepe Prize Launched to Spur AI-Driven Manufacturing in Africa

A new $2 million equity-free prize program, backed by South African billionaire Dr. Patrice Motsepe and the Milken Institute, is placing artificial intelligence and manufacturing at the heart of Africa’s technology ambitions. Unveiled at the 2025 Milken Institute Global Conference in Los Angeles, the Milken-Motsepe Prize in AI and Manufacturing marks the fourth—and most ambitious—edition in a growing series of innovation challenges designed to tackle Africa’s structural issues through technology. This round turns a sharp focus to artificial intelligence and smart manufacturing—two sectors where African participation has remained limited despite strong global momentum. Read the full article here.

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Launch Base Africa: Billionaire-Funded Program Offers $2m Equity-Free to African AI & Manufacturing Startups

A new $2m equity-free prize programme, backed by South African billionaire Dr. Patrice Motsepe and the Milken Institute, is putting AI and manufacturing at the centre of Africa’s tech ambitions. Announced at the 2025 Milken Institute Global Conference in Los Angeles, the Milken-Motsepe Prize in AI and Manufacturing is the fourth and most ambitious iteration of a growing innovation challenge series focused on solving Africa’s structural challenges through technology. This time, the focus is squarely on artificial intelligence and smart manufacturing — areas that have so far seen only limited African participation despite their global momentum. Read the full article here.

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