The Milken Institute and the Motsepe Foundation have announced five finalists for the Milken-Motsepe Prize in AI and Manufacturing, a flagship competition offering a $1 million grand prize. The finalists were unveiled following a pitch showcase at the Milken Institute Middle East and Africa Summit held in Abu Dhabi in early December 2025. The prize is positioned as a catalyst for industrial innovation, backing ventures that apply artificial intelligence to real-world manufacturing challenges across Africa.
From Innovation to Industrial Scale
The 2025 edition represents a clear shift toward industrial-scale impact, placing AI-enabled manufacturing at the center of Africa’s economic transformation agenda. Organizers frame the focus as a bridge between the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the continent’s longer-term path toward the Fifth Industrial Revolution. Unlike traditional innovation awards, the program combines capital with mentorship, global exposure, and access to investors and industry leaders to accelerate commercialization.
Five Finalists and Their Approaches
The finalist cohort reflects a broad view of manufacturing, spanning materials recycling, logistics automation, food preservation, electric mobility, and textile production. Cameroon-based BleagLee uses AI and specialized software to identify and process plastic, electronic, and agricultural waste into higher-value outputs such as polymers, 3D printing filament, and bio-based carbon. UK-headquartered Digitech Oasis Limited focuses on advanced AI and robotics systems that automate warehouse and fulfillment operations, targeting efficiency gains across global supply chains.
Tanzania’s Freshpack Technologies is developing AI-powered cold storage and food preservation systems designed to reduce food waste in informal and rural markets. UAE-based Spiro designs and manufactures affordable electric mobility solutions intended to scale across African markets while supporting cleaner transport and employment. Rwanda’s Toto Safi Limited operates a circular textile manufacturing platform that enables women-led cooperatives to produce reusable hygiene products, integrating AI, manufacturing, and social impact.
How the Prize Supports Teams
The five finalists were selected from a highly competitive pool of teams working across manufacturing, sustainability, and industrial modernization. Each finalist received $50,000 in unrestricted funding prior to pitching, allowing teams to refine products, strengthen operations, and prepare for scale. The Abu Dhabi showcase served as both a judging milestone and a platform to connect entrepreneurs with global partners and investors.
Emily Musil, managing director of social innovation at the Milken Institute, said the prize is designed to identify teams whose technologies can transform industry while creating economic opportunity across African communities. She emphasized that the program’s value extends beyond the award itself, with ongoing support and visibility provided from the semifinalist stage onward. This structure aims to ensure that promising technologies are not only recognized but also positioned for long-term success.
Program Track Record and Global Reach
Now in its fourth year, the Milken-Motsepe Innovation Prize Program has expanded steadily in scope and reach. Since launching in 2021, it has attracted innovators across sectors including agriculture, fintech, health, and manufacturing. Organizers say the broader prize community now includes more than 12,000 innovators and entrepreneurs from 136 countries, reflecting its growing international footprint.
The Prize in AI and Manufacturing awards a total of $2 million, including the $1 million grand prize, with judging criteria centered on impact, scalability, and sustainability. The focus on manufacturing marks a deliberate effort to support ventures capable of driving structural economic change rather than isolated technology pilots. By emphasizing deployment and scale, the program aims to strengthen Africa’s industrial ecosystems.
As the competition moves toward its final stage, attention will shift from promising concepts to demonstrated execution and market readiness. The diverse finalist lineup highlights how AI can be applied across manufacturing value chains, from materials recovery and logistics to energy, food systems, and textiles. With the grand prize decision expected in 2026, the Milken-Motsepe Prize is positioning itself as a key platform for shaping the future of AI-driven manufacturing in Africa.