LUPANE State University (LSU) students have won US$10 000 in the Emerging Technology Category of the Old Mutual Zimbabwe Mutual Value Creation Challenge after their start-up emerged among more than 1 100 entries.
The winning start-up, NanoPath, was founded by LSU students Mark Rukanda and Leona Nyoni and is developing technology aimed at tackling one of Zimbabwe’s persistent agricultural challenges — post-harvest losses.
Operating under Nannovoe Private Limited, NanoPath is developing FreshGuard, a nano-enabled, spray-applied edible coating designed to extend the shelf life of fresh produce.
The innovation is being developed for use on produce such as tomatoes, potatoes, bananas and selected vegetables, with the potential to reduce spoilage while preserving the quality and marketability of fresh produce.
The US$10 000 prize marks a significant achievement for the two students and highlights the potential of university-based innovation to address practical challenges facing Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector.
The success also showcases the growing pool of student entrepreneurs and innovators emerging from LSU, with Rukanda and Nyoni demonstrating how research and technology can be transformed into solutions with commercial and social applications.
