Three exceptional social innovation businesses from South Africa and Malawi have been awarded grants through INNOV4GOOD, an initiative of the French Embassy in South Africa, Lesotho, and Malawi to further develop their businesses, enhance and scale their social impact.
These innovators represented Southern Africa at the prestigious ChangeNOW Summit at the Grand Palais in Paris, from April 24-26, 2025.
The INNOV4GOOD programme, implemented in partnership with innovation stakeholders including the SAB Foundation, RLabs, Bertha Centre for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship, SIHI Malawi, and UNDP Malawi, supports visionary projects in green technology, circular economy, tech inclusion, and public health.
By collaborating on this initiative, these organisations demonstrate their dedication to fostering sustainable development and improving living conditions in the region.
Selected projects receive a substantial grant of €20,000 (approximately R400,000) towards upscaling as well as attending an immersive experience in Paris’s vibrant innovation ecosystem at ChangeNOW.
The innovators travelling to Paris for ChangeNOW 2025 are:
- W. Leif Van Grinsen,Small Farm Cities (Lilongwe, Malawi): Transforming rural resilience through affordable agricultural communities, integrating eco-friendly housing with climate-smart agribusiness.
“At ChangeNOW, we look forward to sharing how we can work with partners to build turn-key, sustainable communities where working-class Africans can become home and business owners,” says Leif Van Grinsen. “The grant has allowed us to expand our “home and a way to pay for it” model working with families to operate farms around their homes as a way of making money and paying for a high quality home.”
- Braden van Breda,Ai Diagnostics (Cape Town, South Africa): Revolutionising public health with a wireless digital stethoscope and AI-powered Tuberculosis detection, enhancing diagnosis and treatment accessibility.
“The Innov4Good programme has enabled us to develop our mobile phone based version, enhancing the portability and accessibility of our product,” says van Breda. “We are excited about the opportunity to showcase our accessible and accurate disease screening platform to customers, investors and policymakers who align with our values and objectives.”
- Prudence Simelane,Samanjalo (Emalahleni (Mpumalanga), South Africa): Converting coal ash waste into sustainable building materials, reducing carbon emissions by up to 80% and creating local job opportunities.
“(We eagerly anticipate) interactions with other players in the circular economy sector,” says Simelane. ‘Paris is renowned for its advancement in geopolymer technologies. The Innov4Good programme has enabled us to increase our production platform, leading to more customers being served which in turn will increase revenue”.
- A fourth business, Orion Lee Herman’s,LiquidGold Africa (Durban, South Africa) was selected to attend ChangeNOW with these awardees. LiquidGold Africa is pioneering dry sanitation solutions that transform urine into valuable fertiliser, promoting hygiene and advancing circular wastewater management.
“We are excited to showcase African innovation in circular sanitation at ChangeNow, connect with global impact leaders, and explore partnerships to scale our zero-waste model,” says Herman. “We will share how regenerative systems can transform informal communities and create green jobs—from KwaZulu Natal to the world. The grant support has allowed us to expand our impact in under-served communities, and unlock new opportunities for scale.”
ChangeNOW is the leading summit for innovative solutions addressing the planet’s most pressing challenges. Gathering over 40,000 attendees from more than 140 countries, including changemakers, business leaders, investors, and entrepreneurs, the summit provides unparalleled opportunities for collaboration and international exposure.
“These remarkable innovators exemplify the transformative power of partnership and innovation to address global challenges,” said His Excellency Mr David Martinon, Ambassador of France to South Africa, Lesotho, and Malawi. “Their presence at ChangeNOW is an exciting opportunity to showcase Southern Africa’s contributions to sustainable solutions on a global stage.”
