A Level-300 student of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has clinched the title as the 2021 top innovator for the Generation Restoration challenge. 

Mathias Charles Yabe was awarded for establishing a start-up company that designs solar-powered cold storage preservation technologies to reduce post-harvest losses. 

The challenge, organised by the World Economic Forum, saw 170 entries from 50 countries, with only 14 emerging as winners. 

Mr Yabe is a student of the Department of Communication Design and CEO of the start-up, AkoFresh. 

AkoFresh was established in 2020 as a green cold chain enterprise that offers local farmers and traders preservation services.

The start-up business equips small-scale farmers with the technical know-how on sustainable farming practices and links farmers to viable markets. 

AkoFresh seeks to improve the livelihood of farmers and promote ecosystem resiliency in local communities.

As part of the package for the award, the start-up company will receive visibility, mentorship, connections to experts and prospective investors from the World Economic Forum through the Uplink Top Innovator Engagement Program.

The award becomes the latest addition to several awards Mathias Yabe has amassed for himself, including the 2021 Fishbowl challenge and the Mills Fabrica’s 2021 Techsryle for Social Good International competition.