Staff Reporter
BULAWAYO — Two Lupane State University (LSU) students have won US$10,000 after their agricultural technology start-up topped the Emerging Technology Category of the Old Mutual Zimbabwe Mutual Value Creation Challenge.
Mark Rukanda and Leona Nyoni, founders of NanoPath, beat more than 1,100 entries to secure the prize, placing student innovation and technology-driven solutions at the centre of efforts to address challenges affecting Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector.
NanoPath, which operates under Nannovoe Private Limited, is developing FreshGuard, a nano-enabled edible coating sprayed onto fresh produce to extend shelf life and reduce post-harvest losses.
The innovation targets produce such as tomatoes, potatoes, bananas, and selected vegetables, aiming to reduce spoilage while preserving the quality and marketability of agricultural products.
Rukanda and Nyoni established the venture after receiving grant funding from the Zimbabwe Agricultural Development Trust (ZADT) through its CAUSEWAY Project Student Incubation Initiative.
Their success comes as Zimbabwe continues to promote innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology development among students and young people as part of efforts to develop solutions to challenges facing various sectors of the economy.
The FreshGuard innovation has the potential to support farmers, traders, and consumers by reducing losses between harvesting and the point of sale, particularly for highly perishable agricultural products.
The achievement also highlights the growing role of universities in nurturing student-led enterprises that develop practical solutions with commercial and social value.
For LSU, the award further recognises the institution’s students as emerging innovators capable of turning research and ideas into products and businesses.
The Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science, and Technology Development has been encouraging institutions of higher learning to strengthen innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology development as the country seeks to build a knowledge-based economy.
The US$10,000 prize is expected to provide NanoPath with additional resources as the students continue developing and commercialising FreshGuard.
The achievement by Rukanda and Nyoni also demonstrates the impact of student incubation programs and financial support in transforming university-based ideas into potentially viable enterprises.
