Bioban wins Côte d’Ivoire’s circular economy hackathon with agricultural waste solution
Yamoussoukro, 22 June 2026 — The Bioban initiative, which converts agricultural waste into biogas and organic fertilizer, has clinched top honors at Côte d’Ivoire’s national hackathon on circular economy. Organized from 17 to 19 June 2026 at the Institut national polytechnique Félix Houphouët-Boigny (INP-HB) in Yamoussoukro, the event was coordinated by the institution’s central incubator with technical support from GIZ.
The hackathon, themed “Technological innovation and circular economy: zero waste, maximum impact”, brought together ten teams of three participants each. Over three days, the teams underwent intensive training, coaching, and prototyping before pitching their solutions to a panel of industry experts.
The competition aimed to foster technological breakthroughs in circular economy practices, with a focus on smart waste sorting, biodegradable product design, natural resource management, and waste valorization. In his opening address, the deputy general director for research, innovation, and the technopole at INP-HB emphasized that circular economy is no longer optional—it is a strategic response to today’s environmental challenges, with technology serving as a critical enabler for achieving zero-waste goals.
Representing GIZ, a spokesperson highlighted the initiative’s alignment with the Promotion des réformes économiques et des investissements (ProREI) project, supported by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) in partnership with Côte d’Ivoire’s Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Crafts. The project seeks to bolster green, social, and digital innovation while strengthening the competitiveness of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises across the country.
Guy Corée, head of INP-HB’s central incubator, praised the high caliber of submissions, noting that the standard of entries was exceptionally strong. He announced that six projects—including the top three winners—will receive technical and financial support through the incubator’s six-month acceleration program. This support covers legal structuring, solution scaling, market access, and fundraising strategies.
Accepting the award, Ndiessa Kwaku Boris, Bioban’s founder and an agronomist specializing in renewable energy, expressed pride in the recognition. He explained that Bioban’s model repurposes agricultural residues into clean cooking biogas and enriches depleted soils with organic fertilizers, directly enhancing farm productivity and sustainability.