RMB Ventures has been the key sponsor of the 2024 GreenPitch Challenge since its inception in 2015, challenging early-stage green enterprises to pitch sustainable business ideas.
This year, the final prizegiving event was help on 5 September and hosted by GreenCape.
Dragonfly (powered by Anisoptera), an SMME developing cutting-edge AI and IoT solutions for waste management, emerged as the overall winner. Dragonfly impressed judges with its ability to enhance operational efficiency and improve the quality of recycled materials being returned to the circular economy, significantly reducing landfill waste.
The runner up was AERO Greens, which manufactures sustainable, soilless vertical farming systems housed in shipping containers. Its innovative approach utilises aeroponics to reduce water usage by 98% compared to traditional farming. By integrating renewable energy and advanced biomimicry-inspired cooling systems, they ensure year-round, high-quality crop production with minimal environmental impact.
The People’s Pick award, chosen through an audience voting poll, was Silence SA, an exclusive distributor for Silence, Europe’s leading manufacturer of electric motorcycles and electric vehicles. Silence Smart Rent is involved in the business of providing smart rental solutions.
The winners in each category received a cash prize sponsored by RMB Ventures, as well as other prizes sponsored by Pulse Digital, Green Connexion, Thinkroom, AltGenand The Ethical Agency.
“Congratulations to all the finalists and winners,” says Ewan Gray, private equity transactor at RMB Ventures. “We are proud to be associated with GreenPitch and the way in which this competition supports early-stage green startups through education, funding and awareness of these projects in the media. As these green businesses grow and scale, they will create new jobs, develop new green technologies and contribute to a more sustainable economy.
“Reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, conserving energy, and protecting our natural resources will all support efforts to reduce the effects of climate change and improve our overall environmental health,” he concludes.