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Newsmakers Live: 10 Innovators Named as Semi-finalists for $2m Milken-Motsepe Prize in AI and Manufacturing
Segun Atanda, Johannesburg, South Africa/ Ten pioneering companies from Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas have been named semi-finalists in the prestigious Milken-Motsepe Prize in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Manufacturing, a global competition awarding $2 million (₦2.99billion) to accelerate next-generation industrial solutions. The Milken Institute and the Motsepe Foundation announced that each semi-finalist will receive $50,000 (₦74,699,500) in unrestricted funding to advance their projects. Their innovations, which tackle challenges from waste recycling and food preservation to clean energy, digital manufacturing, and inclusive production, will be presented at the Milken Institute Middle East and Africa Summit in Abu Dhabi on December 4–5, 2025. From the pitch event, five finalists will be selected to compete for the $1 million (₦1.49 billion) grand prize at the 2026 Milken Institute Global Conference in Los Angeles. Other awards include a $250,000 (₦373,497,500) runner-up prize and a $100,000 (₦149,399,000) recognition for the most advanced use of