Celebrating Green Entrepreneurs: Meet Three Young Innovators Leading Solutions for a Greener World
Vera, Abdullah, and Naglaa show that youth-driven green solutions can have an outsized impact in greening communities.
This Global Entrepreneurship Week, we're celebrating the young green entrepreneurs who are stepping up to tackle climate change with fresh ideas, grit, and resilience. Young innovators are designing solutions that are as rooted in their communities as they are in a global vision for sustainability—reminding us that real change often starts locally, with people who see firsthand what needs to be done and are willing to do it.
Naglaa, Abdullah, and Vera took to the stage at the Global Leadership Council’s Pitching Showcase, where they shared their visions for a greener world, presenting sustainable solutions shaped by the unique needs of their communities.
Part of the Green Rising movement—a global initiative by Generation Unlimited, UNICEF, and partners, that supports and mobilises young people to Protect their Communities from the Climate Crisis—and supported by the imaGen Ventures programme, the three entrepreneurs showed that local actions can have an outsized impact in greening communities, creating ripple effects that amplify climate awareness and mobilization.
Naglaa’s Story: Building Green Solutions from the Ground Up
In Egypt, Naglaa Mohamed witnessed the adverse effects of environmental degradation on her community—from water shortages to declining agricultural productivity. Determined to make a difference, she developed a business model focused on creating sustainable, community-driven solutions that restore the environment while uplifting local livelihoods.
By using local resources and sustainable practices, Naglaa’s venture addresses critical environmental issues while contributing to her community’s socio-economic growth. Her green solutions not only combat environmental challenges but also bring tangible benefits to the people around her.
In rural Bangladesh, where Abdullah Al-Araf grew up, access to reliable electricity was scarce. Families relied on unsustainable energy sources that were not only costly but also environmentally harmful. Motivated by his experiences, Abdullah sought to develop a renewable energy solution for his community.
His startup, BD Highway Technologies, focuses on developing affordable wind turbines tailored to the needs of rural communities. These turbines provide clean, renewable energy to areas that have traditionally been left off the grid. Through his innovation, Abdullah has given families and businesses access to reliable electricity, proving the value of community-driven renewable energy
Vera’s Journey: Solving Local Sanitation Challenges with Saniwise
Growing up in Kenya, Vera Ouko saw firsthand how inadequate sanitation impacted health and well-being in her community. Like many in developing regions, her community faced public health issues and environmental harm due to insufficient sanitation infrastructure.
Vera’s entrepreneurial path began when she recognized the need for a solution addressing both hygiene and environmental concerns. This led to the creation of Saniwise—an eco-friendly toilet designed to conserve water, reduce waste, and offer a hygienic solution for communities. Supported by imaGen Ventures, Vera’s initiative has grown from a local initiative into a sustainable business model with the potential to impact thousands.
Supporting youth-Led environmental innovation through public-private-youth partnerships
With GreenRising, Vera, Abdullah, and Naglaa are part of a global global movement of more than 11 million young people rising up to protect their communities from climate change. Young people are the least responsible for the climate crisis, yet they are actively working to help their communities adapt through green entrepreneurship, volunteering and developing skills for green jobs. Through the combined support of public, private, and youth-led partnerships, Green Rising is supporting young people with skills and opportunities, resources, mentorship, and platforms to build and scale initiatives that drive tangible environmental change. The work of Naglaa, Abdullah, and Vera—and many others like them—shows that a greener, more resilient future depends on collaboration across all sectors, with young leaders playing a crucial role.
