AI and Manufacturing Prize Reveals Top 10 Semifinalists

Published Date : 25/09/2025 

The Milken Institute and the Motsepe Foundation announce the 10 semifinalists for the Milken-Motsepe Prize in AI and Manufacturing, each receiving $50,000 in funding. These innovative teams will present their AI-driven solutions at the upcoming summit. 

The Milken Institute and the Motsepe Foundation have announced the 10 teams advancing to the semifinalist round of the Milken-Motsepe Prize in AI and Manufacturing. Each team receives $50,000 in unrestricted funding to drive inclusive economic growth and sustainable development in Africa.

Semifinalists will present their innovations at the Milken Institute Middle East and Africa Summit, scheduled for December 4–5, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, UAE. A total of $2 million in prizes will be distributed, along with opportunities for global visibility, mentorship, and investor connections.

The prize focuses on companies that are revolutionizing manufacturing value chains in Africa through artificial intelligence (AI) and other advanced technologies. AI is projected to add nearly $3 trillion to Africa’s economy between 2024 and 2033. The prize sought established, scalable companies in the manufacturing sector with a track record of over two years of operation in Africa, demonstrated Series A+ traction, and a clear commitment to advancing job growth and workforce development.

“By focusing on AI and manufacturing, this award identifies and supports visionary teams transforming industry with advanced technologies, which has a multiplying effect by creating economic opportunity for communities across Africa,” said Emily Musil, PhD, managing director at the Milken Institute. “From the semifinalist stage to beyond the prize, we are excited to provide a global platform and network for future-forward entrepreneurs and social impact companies.”

The 10 semifinalist teams will pitch their innovations to a panel of expert judges and investors, who will evaluate them based on commercial viability, operational economics, technological integration, and market scalability in Africa. Five finalists will be selected to advance to the final round. Following the December pitch event, a $1 million Grand Prize will be awarded at the 2026 Milken Institute Global Conference in Los Angeles, alongside a $250,000 runner-up prize and a $100,000 award for the Most Advanced Use of Fourth Industrial Revolution Technologies. These teams operate in more than 60 countries on five continents, with innovations that hold the potential to revolutionize manufacturing value chains, drive job creation, and ignite breakthroughs across the globe.

The 10 Semifinalists for the Milken-Motsepe Innovation Prize Program in AI and Manufacturing:

1. BleagLee

- Team Lead: Juveline Ngum Ngwa

- Based in Cameroon, BleagLee is a waste management and recycling company that uses AI and specialized software to rapidly identify, collect, and transform plastic, agricultural, and electronic waste into high-value inputs like engineered recycled polymers, 3D printing filaments, and bio-based carbon materials.

2. DataProphet

- Team Lead: Ridwaan Seedat

- Based in South Africa, DataProphet is an industrial intelligence technology and advisory company providing production intelligence solutions for machine builders and manufacturers.

3. Digitech Oasis Limited

- Team Lead: Ayan Mohamed

- Based in the United Kingdom, Digitech Oasis is an award-winning AI and robotics company developing robotic systems and industrial automation platforms to modernize warehouse and fulfillment operations across industries.

4. Freshpack Technologies

- Team Lead: Editha Mshiu

- Based in Tanzania, Freshpack Technologies is a cold-storage solution company pioneering AI-powered cooling innovation to reduce food waste for Africa’s informal markets.

5. GreenBDG Africa

- Team Lead: Songo Didiza

- Based in South Africa, Green Building Design Group Africa (GreenBDG Africa) is a tech-enabled advisory firm offering climate-smart infrastructure solutions and energy optimization strategies for real estate and manufacturing clusters.

6. INDOS

- Team Lead: Ahmed Nounou

- Based in Egypt, INDOS is an industrial digitization company transforming labor-intensive manufacturing floors into AI-powered, data-driven environments to boost productivity and drive quality in real-time.

7. Spiro

- Team Lead: Kaushik Burman

- Based in the United Arab Emirates, Spiro provides accessible and affordable mobility solutions through manufacturing innovative, eco-friendly electric transportation.

8. Thola Inc.

- Team Lead: Nneile Nkholise

- Based in the United States, Thola is an AI-powered software platform that provides real-time energy monitoring, forecasting, and ESG performance insights to help industrial facilities become insurable, resilient, and grid-conscious.

9. Torchit

- Team Lead: Hunny Bhagchandani

- Based in India, Torchit is a social-tech enterprise that designs and manufactures affordable, AI-powered assistive technologies to empower persons with disabilities with mobility, literacy, and digital independence.

10. Toto Safi Limited

- Team Lead: Faith Waraga

- Based in Rwanda, Toto Safi is an AI-enabled, circular textile manufacturing platform, enabling women-led tailoring cooperatives to produce reusable hygiene products such as diapers and period pants at scale.

Now in its fourth year, the Milken-Motsepe Innovation Prize Program has brought together visionary thinkers across sectors, from agriculture to financial technology, equipping them with the capital, resources, and network needed to push their ideas forward. Since launching the prize in 2021, the prize community has grown to over 12,000 innovators and entrepreneurs from 136 countries.

For more information about the semifinalists and the Milken-Motsepe Innovation Prize Program, visit https://MilkenMotsepePrize.org/ or contact Sam Roth at sroth@milkeninstitute.org. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS): 

Q: What is the Milken-Motsepe Prize in AI and Manufacturing?

A: The Milken-Motsepe Prize in AI and Manufacturing is a competition that identifies and supports companies revolutionizing manufacturing value chains in Africa through artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies.

Q: How much funding do the semifinalists receive?

A: Each semifinalist team receives $50,000 in unrestricted funding to drive inclusive economic growth and sustainable development in Africa.

Q: When and where will the semifinalists present their innovations?

A: The semifinalists will present their innovations at the Milken Institute Middle East and Africa Summit, scheduled for December 4–5, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Q: What are the total prize amounts and categories?

A: A total of $2 million in prizes will be distributed. The categories include a $1 million Grand Prize, a $250,000 runner-up prize, and a $100,000 award for the Most Advanced Use of Fourth Industrial Revolution Technologies.

Q: How many countries are represented by the semifinalist teams?

A: The semifinalist teams operate in more than 60 countries on five continents. 

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