NovFeed, the Tanzanian biotechnology innovator, has been awarded the grand prize in the prestigious 7th Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) Competition.
Co-founded by Diana Orembe, the company secured a substantial US$300,000 grant to scale its revolutionary process of turning organic waste into high-quality, eco-friendly fish feed.
The Innovation: Waste to Protein
NovFeed’s winning solution directly addresses two critical issues in East Africa: the high cost of traditional aquaculture feed and the environmental problem of organic waste.
• The Technology: NovFeed utilizes proprietary microbial fermentation technology to convert collected organic food waste (from markets and restaurants) into a sustainable, high-protein ingredient for fish feed.
• The Impact: This innovative process creates a circular economy solution that:
• Reduces Costs: NovFeed’s product is reportedly 25% cheaper than traditional fishmeal, offering significant relief to smallholder fish farmers.
• Improves Yields: The resulting feed is a highly nutritious, single-cell protein source that has shown improved fish growth rates (up to 40% more weight gain).
• Protects Ecosystems: By replacing expensive, unsustainable ingredients like wild-caught fishmeal and imported soy, NovFeed helps conserve marine ecosystems and reduces reliance on global supply chains.
Commenting Diana Orembe, NovFeed’s co-founder, said: “Winning the Africa’s Business Heroes prize is not just a financial victory; it’s a validation of biotech’s power to solve foundational problems in food systems,” said Orembe. “This grant will accelerate our ability to scale our production and reach thousands more farmers who depend on affordable, high-quality feed.”
Scaling the Circular Economy
The ABH grant, which is part of the $1.5 million awarded to the top 10 finalists, is expected to enable NovFeed to dramatically increase its production capacity. The company aims to meet the growing demand in Tanzania and expand its sustainable solutions—which also include an organic fertilizer byproduct (EcoVita) from the same process—across other African markets.
The Africa’s Business Heroes competition, a philanthropic initiative of the Jack Ma Foundation, is dedicated to identifying and supporting African entrepreneurs who are driving impactful change within their communities and industries.
