Ivoire Straw wins the Pangaea X Côte d’Ivoire hackathon
On June 1, 2024, the Ivoire Straw group won the Pangaea X hackathon of the Horn Foundation in Côte d’Ivoire with the generous support of the MSC Foundation, and AGL in the city of Assinie. This dynamic duo of young entrepreneurs, composed of You Marcelle Adjessy and Fofana Léténeminni, distinguished themselves thanks to their innovative project to manufacture biodegradable packaging based on rice straw.
During three days of intense work, followed by a presentation in front of a jury of experts, the winning team was unanimous. The jury was composed of influential personalities such as Marina Anselme, Secretary General of MSC Foundation, Asta-Rosa Cissé, Regional Director of AGL (Côte d’Ivoire-Burkina Faso), Pauline Mocchi, Head of Partnerships at UNICEF Côte d’Ivoire, Annika Horn, founder of Horn Foundation, Florence Tahiri Fadika, Technical Advisor to the Ivorian Ministry of Digital Transition and Digitalization, and Fabrice Sawegnon, CEO of Voodoo Group and ambassador of this hackathon.
This victory allows Ivoire Straw to benefit from an incubation within the Pangaea X program in Europe, including a stay in Lausanne, Switzerland and Paris, France. In addition, the group has the opportunity to win a grant of €20,000, or about 13 million FCFA, to develop its project.
The MSC Foundation Special Prize was awarded to the Siboré Group, recognized for its project to transform banana fibers into aesthetic products. This group of two young women will receive a grant to carry out training to implement their project. For MSC Foundation, Siboré ‘s project aligns perfectly with its mission to support initiatives to protect the environment and preserve the blue planet and its inhabitants.
In addition, the AGL hackathon prize was awarded to the Medev group for its flood crisis management application. These young innovators will join the incubation program of Yiri, the innovation center of Africa Global Logistics (AGL) based in Abidjan. This technological laboratory will offer them specific support programs, allowing them to acquire the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to make their business project a reality.
The Pangaea X Côte d’Ivoire hackathon aims to reveal and support young Ivorian talents willing to develop innovative projects focused on the green or blue economy sectors, to contribute to the preservation of the environment while generating income.
About Africa Global Logistics (AGL)
AGL is the leading multimodal logistics operator (port, logistics, maritime and rail) in Africa. The company is now part of the MSC Group, a leading company in maritime transport and logistics. AGL provides its African and global customers with comprehensive, customized and innovative logistics solutions, with the ambition to be “At the Heart of Africa’s Transformations”. AGL is present in 47 countries in Africa but also in Haiti and Timor. Through its Yiri Innovation Center, located in Abidjan, AGL supports the digital transformations of Africa’s logistics, stimulating innovation and providing young people, students, AGL employees and start-ups with a working environment conducive to creativity and the exploration of new ideas.
About Pangaea X
Pangaea X is a non-profit association based in Switzerland and guided by explorer Mike Horn. Its incubation program is designed to support young entrepreneurs in the development of their innovative environmental ideas. With an extensive network of mentors, experts and partners, Pangaea X is dedicated to creating an environment conducive to innovation and the success of start-ups. For more information, visit www.pangaeax.org and follow us on Linkedin, Facebook and Instagram . Hackathon page: https://pangaeax.org/hackathon-cote-divoire/.
About the MSC Foundation
MSC Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the MSC Group. Established by the Aponte family in 2018, the foundation works in the areas of environmental conservation, community support, education, and emergency humanitarian aid. Its mission is to undertake actions that help protect and preserve the blue planet and its people, using MSC’s global reach and knowledge of the seas. For more information, visit: www.mscfoundation.org and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.
Press contacts:
Arsène YAPI, Media and Content Manager – AGL Côte d’Ivoire T +225 27 21 22 04 01 / M. +225 07 07 19 49 67 – arsene.yapi@aglgroup.com
Laura Favre – France | Press Relations Manager – Pangaea X M + 41 79 489 92 98 laura@pangaeax.org
Kim Mancini, Senior Public Relations & Communications Specialist – MSC Foundation / M. +41 76 249 8434 – kim.mancini@mscfoundation.org
