CIMA crowns KilimoChills Solution as first Lions’ Lair Africa winner

CIMA named KilimoChills Solution the inaugural Lions’ Lair Africa winner at ENGAGE Africa 2026 in Cape Town, giving the solar cold-storage startup a US$25,000 investment offer from Corton Investments. The win highlights a push to back African sustainability ventures that can cut food waste and scale across new markets.

Why it matters: - KilimoChills Solution is tackling food loss for market traders with solar-powered cold storage. - The startup’s model aims to keep food fresh longer, reduce waste and lift trader incomes. - The win gives the business a US$25,000 investment offer and access to investors, mentors and CIMA’s network. - Lions’ Lair Africa is designed to help early-stage sustainability and green innovation businesses bridge the gap between a strong idea and growth capital.

What happened: - CIMA named KilimoChills Solution the inaugural winner of Lions’ Lair Africa at ENGAGE Africa 2026 in Cape Town. - The live pitch competition took place in front of more than 300 finance leaders, investors, entrepreneurs and decisionmakers. - KilimoChills Solution was selected from more than 150 entrants. - Corton Investments made the US$25,000 investment offer after the pitch.

The details: - Lions’ Lair Africa was presented by CIMA in partnership with Corton Investments. - The competition was sponsored by Opus Pharmaceuticals, Sage, E’Lique Advisory and CPA.com. - Finalists were judged on business strength, sustainable impact and ability to scale. - KilimoChills Solution uses solar-powered cold storage for market traders to reduce post-harvest and market food losses. - The judging panel said the business showed a scalable model for growth across African markets. - The initiative connects early-stage African sustainability businesses with capital, mentorship and the CIMA network of business leaders.

Between the lines: - CIMA is betting that climate-linked businesses can also be commercially attractive, not just socially useful. - The competition format is meant to do more than hand out funding; it is also meant to open relationships with finance professionals, investors and advisers. - The focus on scale suggests Lions’ Lair Africa is looking for ventures that can move beyond local pilots and build continent-wide relevance. - CIMA’s leadership framed the win as evidence that entrepreneurial ambition can align with practical solutions for African communities and businesses.

What’s next: - KilimoChills Solution plans to use the backing to scale across Kenya. - The company also aims to expand into Ghana and Nigeria. - CIMA wants Lions’ Lair Africa to become a leading platform for sustainability-focused African ventures. - The longer-term goal is to build a recognized pipeline of high-growth businesses for investors, corporate partners and finance leaders.

The bottom line: - Lions’ Lair Africa’s first winner shows how food-loss solutions can attract both impact capital and commercial interest.