Esther Kimani

"My parents would lose up to 40% of their crops each farming season, which affected our standard of living. We are empowering smallholder farmers, many of whom are women, to increase their income. We aim to scale to one million farmers in the next five years."

"“I knew I was leaving home to change home, I saw how innovation could address the struggles of rural farmers, and that’s how Farmer Lifeline was born.”"

"Take the application seriously and make sure you align with the eligibility criteria … When you give it your best, it gives back in the best ways."

"“Men in rural communities tend to have smartphones, while women rely on basic feature phones, by using SMS alerts, we ensure women aren’t left behind.”"

"“Additionally, the technology has been successfully piloted across five African countries, showcasing its adaptability and potential for scalable impact across diverse agricultural landscapes.”"

"“Dare to dream — and dream big. When I was a girl farming in my village, I never imagined standing on global stages. But with hard work and belief, anything is possible.”"

"“Mentorship has been crucial, as a young founder, especially in tech, having advisors who believe in your vision makes all the difference.”"

"“We’ve made AI as easy as reading a text, because that’s what our farmers do every day.”"

"“Young founders in tech need more than capital — we need people who believe in us. That belief changes everything.”"

"“I quickly realised that technology could solve real-world problems,”"

"“My greatest inspiration is the farming community I grew up with. To get the opportunity to empower them gives me a reason to get up every day and do what I do.”"

"“I knew it would be risky. I had no capital, no team, and no guarantee of success. But I also knew that the potential impact of my work was worth the risk.”"

"“Entrepreneurship isn’t something you plan; it’s something you do when you see a need,”"