Solving the Scarcity of Environmental Data
Spotted: One of the most important elements in tackling climate change is having access to the right data. After all, it is very difficult to improve something when you know nothing about it. And although climate change is projected to hit Africa harder than most other regions, there is very little data available to help farmers and others understand what’s happening. This lack of data is what startup Amini was founded to rectify.
Amini is a Nairobi-based climate tech company that is using artificial intelligence (AI) and satellite technology to plug the gap in Africa’s environmental data. The startup has developed a data aggregation platform that provide users with granular data on the impact of natural disasters, emissions, flooding, drought, and more across the entire continent in a few seconds.
The platform can be used on either a regional or local level. For example, Amini can provide farmers with data on the amount of water and fertiliser used, inform global food and beverage companies on the environmental impact of their African operations and supply chains, and enlighten governments on the impact of drought on farm outputs.
Amini is currently focused on multinational customers in the insurance, food and beverage, and supply chain industries. All these industries face increased pressure from international regulators to monitor and reduce their environmental impact. Less than a year old, the company has raised $2 million (around €1.86 million) in a pre-seed funding round led by Pale Blue Dot, and recently became the first African company accepted into the Seraphim Space Accelerator programme.
Accurate data is the key to a number of climate-focused innovations that Springwise has spotted in the archive. These include concepts such as a software platform that uses data to decarbonise supply chains and an insurance product that offers immediate payouts in the event of floods or drought.
Source: https://www.springwise.com/innovation/sustainability/solving-the-scarcity-of-environmental-data-in-africa/
