Two Kenyan startups, Bena Care and Chemolex, have been named among the ‘2026 Change 100’ – a global list recognizing high-impact ventures addressing pressing social and environmental challenges.
- •The inclusion places the companies within a cohort of startups from 15 African countries selected under the initiative led by ‘We Make Change’ in partnership with ‘ChangeNOW Summit' and supported by organizations including Microsoft.
- •Chemolex, established in 2019 by Clifford Okoth and Martina Sikawa, targets plastic waste by intercepting it before it reaches oceans, using river systems that extract debris from polluted waterways while generating real-time environmental data for urban planning and compliance.
- •Founded in 2017 by a Kenyan nurse called Naom Monari, Bena Care operates patented mobile dialysis units that serve hard-to-reach rural communities through a government-backed rotational delivery model.
Bena Care partners with public health systems, with government insurance reimbursing about US$85 per session against direct costs of roughly US$48 per patient, enabling treatment at no out-of-pocket cost. The startup also provides home-based nursing care for chronically ill patients, expanding access to essential services beyond traditional facilities.
Chemolex complements its mission with modular waste hubs that expand collection services into informal settlements and integrates informal waste pickers into structured networks with safer conditions and more stable incomes.
The recovered waste is processed into carbon-negative construction materials and recycled industrial pellets, forming a closed-loop system that reduces emissions, improves sanitation and supports climate-resilient infrastructure.
Beyond Kenya, the list highlights a broad range of African innovation. Startups include ATAREC from Morocco, which is developing wave energy technology for maritime use; Che Innovations, which produces low-cost neonatal transport solutions; and FriendnPal, which uses artificial intelligence to detect early signs of mental health conditions.
The initiative is open to startups founded within the past decade that are addressing social or environmental challenges. For participating African companies, inclusion offers a pathway to scale solutions beyond domestic markets while positioning them within the global impact investment ecosystem.
The winners were announced on 30 March at the Grand Palais in Paris, giving participants access to over 50,000 professionals and investors and acceleration programs aimed at scaling their operations.
