Ifeoluwa Afolayan, a 19-year-old Nigerian innovator, has secured first prize at WE Innovate, Imperial College London’s leading pre-accelerator program for women-led ventures.
Afolayan, a Master’s student of Design Engineering at Imperial College London and the Royal College of Arts, and her team were awarded 15,000 euros. This funding will support further development of their innovative agricultural initiative, which aims to transform farming practices.
The solution, Aeropod (by Muju Earth), is a capsule designed to aerate and enrich soil that activates in response to heavy rain, helping to provide a climate-proof alternative to intensive farming methods.
Ifeoluwa, founder of Aeropod, and her team -Yuchen Cai, Alex Clark, and Ocean Hu – pitched their project at WE Innovate.
It supports women entrepreneurs by helping them develop businesses through masterclasses, business coaching, expert support, and peer mentoring.
The team’s concept garnered acclaim for its potential to enhance crop resilience against climate change, reduce environmental impact, empower farmers with innovative technology, and promote ecological sustainability.
The success is a milestone in their journey to make a difference in the United Kingdom, Nigeria, and globally.
“I’m honoured to be part of WE Innovate and to win first prize,” said Afolayan.
“This initiative can revolutionise agriculture in Nigeria, help farmers adapt to climate change and ensure food security. We aim to create solutions that transform farming and save our planet from adverse climate change.”
Her team plans to partner with a Nigerian firm to expand its initiative, leveraging the grant and mentorship support to scale its impact.
Aeropod (by Muju Earth), a soil regeneration startup from Imperial College London, and Dainty Grace, an innovative lingerie startup from Queen’s University Belfast (QUB), were joint winners of the WE Innovate 2025 Grand Final, each securing a first prize of £15,000.
Ifeoluwa’s project equates Nigerian farmers with climate-resilient farming techniques, advanced crop management systems, and sustainable resource utilisation.
She is confident that partnering with Nigerian industry will expedite the implementation of these solutions, thereby generating new prospects for local farmers and supporting Nigeria’s pursuit of sustainable agricultural growth.
Source: The Nation
Image Credit: LinkedIn
