TerraFoundry Launches Its First Climate-Tech Cohort, Backing The Founders Building Africa's Greener Future

From energy security and sustainable agriculture to water resilience, mobility, and the circular economy, Africa is facing some of the world's biggest environmental challenges. But where others see problems, African founders see opportunities to build. 

That's exactly why French South African Tech Labs (FSATLabs), together with the Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDAT), has officially launched the first TerraFoundry Cohort for 2026, a six-month accelerator supporting ambitious climate-tech startups developing practical solutions for Africa's future. 

Because building a greener future is important. Building businesses that can scale while doing it? That's even better. 

Building Climate Startups That Can Scale 

TerraFoundry is designed to do more than accelerate ideas, it helps founders build companies that are ready for growth and investment. 

Over the next six months, participating startups will work alongside experienced founders, investors, operators, and technical specialists through an intensive programme covering every stage of the startup journey. 

The programme includes: 

● Customer discovery and market research 

● Go-to-market strategy 

● Financial modelling and business finance 

● Legal, governance and compliance 

● PR, branding, marketing and digital presence 

● Government and institutional stakeholder engagement 

● Scaling, partnerships and team building 

● Fundraising strategy and investor readiness 

● Demo Day preparation and investor introductions 

Because having a great product is only half the journey. Knowing how to commercialise it, raise capital, and build the right partnerships is what turns startups into businesses. 

Meet the Inaugural TerraFoundry Cohort 

Following a competitive selection process, twenty startups have been selected to join the first TerraFoundry cohort. 

The cohort includes innovators working across renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, environmental intelligence, green manufacturing, circular economy, mobility, carbon innovation, and climate resilience, including: 

● NuCarbon 

● GreenCore Farms 

● EnBloq 

● Ukuhamba Pty Ltd 

● Atlantis Future Mobility & Circular Energy Hub 

● Reidar Pty Ltd 

● POLC Global Pty Ltd 

● Energy Intelligence 

● Natural Homes 

● Caracal Environmental 

● Lehlabule 

● Vhulimi AgriTech 

● Clean Care Solutions 

● Grit Industries 

● AGROFI 

● Togethercare Prickly Pears and Recycles Productions 

● GREENWAY AFRICA 

Together, these founders represent a new generation of entrepreneurs building technologies that tackle real-world challenges while creating jobs, strengthening industries, and supporting Africa's transition to a greener economy. 

In other words, they're not waiting for the future, they're building it. 

More Than an Accelerator 

One of TerraFoundry's greatest strengths is the ecosystem behind it. 

Throughout the programme, founders gain direct access to FSATLabs' network of investors, corporates, venture builders, ecosystem partners, and innovation leaders across Africa and Europe. These introductions often become just as valuable as the workshops themselves. 

After all, startups rarely scale in isolation. 

They scale through partnerships, customers, investment, and being surrounded by people who have already walked the journey. 

The programme also supports the Western Cape Government's Growth for Jobs (G4J) strategy, strengthening the province's position as one of Africa's leading hubs for climate innovation, entrepreneurship, and green economic development. 

As Thomas Hart, Programme Manager at FSATLabs, explains: 

"The quality of founders applying to TerraFoundry reflects the growing momentum within Africa's climate-tech ecosystem. This cohort represents entrepreneurs solving deeply important challenges while building commercially scalable businesses." 

Similarly, Tim Parle, Chief Director for Technology & Innovation at DEDAT, highlights the province's long-term commitment to innovation-led growth: 

"Climate-tech represents a significant opportunity for both sustainability and job creation, and we are proud to support founders building solutions with regional and global potential." 

Powered by a Strong Innovation Ecosystem 

Behind every successful accelerator is a community committed to helping founders succeed. 

As the founding partner of FSATLabs and Technology Partner of the TerraFoundry programme, Methys plays an important role in strengthening Africa's innovation ecosystem. Through its expertise in digital transformation, technology development, and venture support, Methys helps create the technical foundation that allows ambitious startups to grow faster and scale further. 

TerraFoundry itself is built on a simple belief: breakthrough innovation doesn't happen alone. 

It happens when founders, governments, investors, corporates, and technology partners work together to solve meaningful problems. By bringing these stakeholders together, the programme offers far more than mentorship, it creates lasting relationships, opens doors to investment, and helps founders build businesses with long-term impact. 

Building Africa's Climate Future 

The first TerraFoundry cohort represents much more than twenty startups. 

It represents twenty teams determined to tackle climate change through innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology. Over the next six months, they'll refine their products, strengthen their businesses, connect with investors, and become part of a growing community shaping Africa's climate-tech future. 

Because climate innovation isn't just about reducing emissions. 

It's about creating jobs, improving food systems, expanding access to clean energy, building resilient cities, and proving that African founders are leading solutions to global challenges. 

This is only Cohort One. We can't wait to see what they build next. 

Interested in learning more? 

Discover how Methys is helping drive innovation across Africa through technology, startup support, and digital transformation by visiting the Methys Innovation page. Learn more about the programmes, partnerships, and initiatives helping founders turn bold ideas into scalable businesses.