High-level Jury and KAAIA Network 2021/22

High-level jury

The Kofi Annan Award for Innovation in Africa is awarded through a multi-stage selection process. The nine finalist teams presented their innovations to the high-level jury in May 2022 (high-level pitch-event). The members of the high-level jury have a strong track record of promoting social entrepreneurs in line with the UN 2030 Agenda.

The high-level jury selected three winning teams, each of which received EUR 250,000 in funding, as well as a 12-month accelerator programme for their further development. The jury was made up of the following members:

  • Valerie AMOS, Master of University College Oxford and former UN Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator
  • Kojo ANNAN, Ghanaian-Nigerian businessman and son of the late former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan
  • Elhadj As SY, Chair of the Kofi Annan Foundation and former Secretary General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (ICRC)
  • David BEASLEY, Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP)
  • Yacine DJIBO, Founder and CEO of "Speak Up Africa"
  • Bogolo KENEWENDO, Economist and former Minister for Investments, Trade and Industry of Botswana
  • Antonella MEI-POCHTLER, international management consultant and former Special Advisor at the Austrian Federal Chancellery
  • Ludwig PRINZ VON BAYERN, German IT-entrepreneur and development actor in Kenya
  • Eric SCHMIDT, former CEO of Google and Chairman of Alphabet Inc.
  • Muhammad YUNUS, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, founder of Grameen Bank and pioneer of microcredit and microfinance

KAAIA Network

The Kofi Annan Award for Innovation in Africa's Network is composed of 40 Austrian and international experts from the fields of business, academia, finance, experienced business people, financial institutions, networks and investors.

The members of this unique community have long supported African-European cooperation and are supporting the nine finalists scale up their digital solutions across the continent. The focus lies on sharing expertise, active networking and exploring further investments.