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Milken-Motsepe Prize in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Manufacturing Names 10 Semi-finalists

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Milken Institute to award total of $2 million to 10 companies revolutionizing next-generation manufacturing solutions

From the semifinalist stage to beyond the prize, we are excited to provide a global platform and network for future-forward entrepreneurs and social impact companies

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, September 25, 2025/APO Group/ –The Milken Institute and the Motsepe Foundation (https://MilkenMotsepePrize.org/) announced the 10 teams advancing to the semifinalist round of the Milken-Motsepe Prize in AI and Manufacturing (https://apo-opa.co/4pL1QFg), with each team receiving $50,000 in unrestricted funding to drive inclusive economic growth and sustainable development in Africa.

Semifinalists will present their innovations at the Milken Institute Middle East and Africa Summit, December 4–5, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, UAE. A total of $2 million in prizes will be distributed for this prize, along with opportunities for global visibility, mentorship, and investor connections.

The prize highlights companies that are revolutionizing manufacturing value chains in Africa through artificial intelligence (AI) and other advanced technologies. In Africa alone, AI is projected to add nearly $3 trillion to the continent’s economy between 2024 and 2033. The prize sought established, scalable companies in the manufacturing sector with a track record of over two years of operation in Africa, demonstrated Series A+ traction, and a clear commitment to advancing job growth and workforce development.

“By focusing on AI and manufacturing, this award identifies and supports visionary teams transforming industry with advanced technologies, which has a multiplying effect by creating economic opportunity for communities across Africa,” said Emily Musil, PhD, managing director at the Milken Institute. “From the semifinalist stage to beyond the prize, we are excited to provide a global platform and network for future-forward entrepreneurs and social impact companies.”

The 10 semifinalist teams will pitch their innovations to a panel of expert judges and investors, who will evaluate them based on commercial viability, operational economics, technological integration, and market scalability in Africa. Five finalists will be selected to advance to the final round. Following the December pitch event, a $1 million Grand Prize will be awarded at the 2026 Milken Institute Global Conference in Los Angeles, alongside a $250,000 runner-up prize and a $100,000 award for the Most Advanced Use of Fourth Industrial Revolution Technologies. These teams operate in more than 60 countries on five continents, with innovations that hold the potential to revolutionize manufacturing value chains, drive job creation, and ignite breakthroughs across the globe.

The 10 semifinalists for the Milken-Motsepe Innovation Prize Program in AI and Manufacturing:

  1. BleagLee (https://apo-opa.co/46TPaEq)
    Team Lead: Juveline Ngum Ngwa

Based in Cameroon, BleagLee is a waste management and recycling company that uses AI and specialized software to rapidly identify, collect, and transform plastic, agricultural, and electronic waste into high-value inputs like engineered recycled polymers, 3D printing filaments, and bio-based carbon materials.

  1. DataProphet (https://apo-opa.co/46z3wsn)
    Team Lead: Ridwaan Seedat

Based in South Africa, DataProphet is an industrial intelligence technology and advisory company providing production intelligence solutions for machine builders and manufacturers.

  1. Digitech Oasis Limited (https://apo-opa.co/46VjTkk)
    Team Lead: Ayan Mohamed

Based in the United Kingdom, Digitech Oasis is an award‑winning AI and robotics company developing robotic systems and industrial automation platforms to modernize warehouse and fulfillment operations across industries.

  1. Freshpack Technologies (https://apo-opa.co/46ALVAn)
    Team Lead: Editha Mshiu

Based in Tanzania, Freshpack Technologies is a cold-storage solution company pioneering AI-powered cooling innovation to reduce food waste for Africa’s informal markets.

  1. GreenBDG Africa (https://apo-opa.co/46ka8fu)
    Team Lead: Songo Didiza

Based in South Africa, Green Building Design Group Africa (GreenBDG Africa) is a tech-enabled advisory firm offering climate-smart infrastructure solutions and energy optimization strategies for real estate and manufacturing clusters.

  1. INDOS (https://apo-opa.co/48xciJZ)
    Team Lead: Ahmed Nounou

Based in Egypt, INDOS is an industrial digitization company transforming labor-intensive manufacturing floors into AI-powered, data-driven environments to boost productivity and drive quality in real-time.

  1. Spiro (https://apo-opa.co/4pEAksT)
    Team Lead: Kaushik Burman

Based in the United Arab Emirates, Spiro provides accessible and affordable mobility solutions through manufacturing innovative, eco-friendly electric transportation.

  1. Thola Inc. (https://apo-opa.co/46HHofL)
    Team Lead: Nneile Nkholise

Based in the United States, Thola is an AI-powered software platform that provides real-time energy monitoring, forecasting, and ESG performance insights to help industrial facilities become insurable, resilient, and grid-conscious.

  1. Torchit (https://apo-opa.co/46lPvj3)
    Team Lead: Hunny Bhagchandani

Based in India, Torchit is a social-tech enterprise that designs and manufactures affordable, AI-powered assistive technologies to empower persons with disabilities with mobility, literacy, and digital independence.

  1. Toto Safi Limited (https://apo-opa.co/3IFrdau)
    Team Lead: Faith Waraga

Based in Rwanda, Toto Safi is an AI-enabled, circular textile manufacturing platform, enabling women-led tailoring cooperatives to produce reusable hygiene products such as diapers and period pants at scale.

Now in its fourth year, the Milken-Motsepe Innovation Prize Program has brought together visionary thinkers across sectors, from agriculture to financial technology, equipping them with the capital, resources, and network needed to push their ideas forward. Since launching the prize in 2021, the prize community has grown to over 12,000 innovators and entrepreneurs from 136 countries.

For more information about the semifinalists and the Milken-Motsepe Innovation Prize Program, visit https://MilkenMotsepePrize.org/ or contact Sam Roth at sroth@milkeninstitute.org.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Milken-Motsepe Innovation Prize Program.

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Liberia to Preview Next Oil & Gas Licensing Round Strategy at Houston Investor Day

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The Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority will host operators, investors and partners in Houston on August 19 to preview future licensing opportunities and showcase the exploration potential of its offshore basins

HOUSTON, United States of America, August 7, 2026/APO Group/ –The Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority (LPRA) will present its strategy for the country’s next offshore licensing round at Liberia Investor Day Houston on August 19, bringing together international exploration companies, investors, service providers and energy leaders to discuss the next phase of Liberia’s upstream development.

Hosted in partnership with Energy Capital & Power, the event will provide a platform for the LPRA, led by Director General Hon. Marilyn T. Logan, to outline Liberia’s regulatory framework, investment priorities and plans to attract new participation across the country’s offshore sector. Discussions will focus on upcoming licensing opportunities, exploration prospects and the subsurface data supporting future investment decisions.

Liberia’s offshore sector is entering a new phase of exploration activity, with renewed international participation and a growing pipeline of opportunities. Following the award and ratification of eight Production Sharing Contracts in 2025, Liberia has re-established itself as a frontier exploration destination, with international operators advancing work programs designed to further evaluate the country’s petroleum potential. TotalEnergies is progressing exploration activities that include offshore geochemical surveys, 3D seismic acquisition and seabed mapping, while Oranto Petroleum has also signed contracts to explore Liberia’s offshore.

At the Liberia Investor Day Houston, the LPRA will provide industry stakeholders with insight into the priorities shaping the next licensing round, including the anticipated process, qualification requirements, available acreage and access to technical data. The engagement will give prospective investors a clearer view of Liberia’s exploration landscape and the opportunities emerging across its offshore basins.

The event will also facilitate direct dialogue between LPRA and the global upstream community, connecting companies with policymakers and industry stakeholders involved in shaping Liberia’s next chapter of petroleum development.

As exploration companies continue to seek new frontier opportunities, Liberia Investor Day Houston will highlight the role of regulatory certainty, data availability and strategic partnerships in unlocking long-term investment across Liberia’s offshore sector.

Registration is now open for attendees. Companies interested in Liberia’s emerging offshore opportunities are invited to join LPRA, investors and upstream leaders in Houston for insights into the country’s licensing strategy and exploration outlook. For more information contact info@energycapitalpower.com.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

 

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Beyond Stabroek: Guyana’s Offshore Basin Attracts New Wave of Exploration Investment

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As ExxonMobil advances appraisal activity in Stabroek and new operators target frontier acreage, Guyana is attracting global capital and building a diversified offshore portfolio designed to sustain long-term growth

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, August 7, 2026/APO Group/ –Guyana’s transformation into one of the world’s fastest-growing oil producers is entering a new phase, with a growing network of IOCs expanding exploration activity across the country’s offshore basin. Beyond the landmark discoveries that first put Guyana on the global energy map, new drilling campaigns and licensing partnerships are creating a broader exploration ecosystem designed to support long-term production growth.

At the center of this momentum is ExxonMobil’s continued exploration and appraisal activity in the prolific Stabroek Block. The company has submitted a proposal for a 35-well exploration and appraisal drilling campaign, expected to run from 2028 through 2033, pending regulatory approval. The program would build on more than 30 commercial discoveries already made in the block, with drilling activity focused on evaluating new prospects and appraising existing discoveries to support future development opportunities.

Exploration activity is also extending into Guyana’s frontier acreage, with ExxonMobil advancing drilling operations at the deepwater Canje Block. The company has deployed the Noble Stena Carron drillship for exploration activity, highlighting continued industry interest in evaluating Guyana’s underexplored offshore potential beyond the established Stabroek Block.

Guyana’s strong exploration outlook comes as the country’s economy continues to benefit from rapid oil sector expansion, with hydrocarbons expected to remain a key driver of exports, government revenues and economic growth. As production scales up, attracting additional investment across exploration, services and infrastructure will be critical to supporting the next phase of development.

That momentum is being reinforced through partnerships established under Guyana’s 2023 offshore licensing round. A consortium comprising TotalEnergies, QatarEnergy and Petronas is advancing exploration activities in Block S4 under a five-year production sharing agreement signed with the government in late 2025. The award represents one of the first major outcomes of the licensing round and demonstrates continued international confidence in Guyana’s offshore resource potential.

Beyond the largest operators, a diverse group of companies is also expanding activity across Guyana’s offshore basin. Eco Atlantic is advancing exploration at the Orinduik Block; CGX Energy and Frontera Energy are progressing work in the Corentyne Block; Occidental is evaluating opportunities in the Roraima Block; while Ratio Guyana and Cataleya Energy hold interests in the Kaieteur Block. Together, these partnerships are broadening Guyana’s exploration landscape, increasing competition for acreage and creating opportunities for future discoveries.

As Guyana transitions from an emerging producer to a global energy hub, the next challenge will be converting exploration success into sustainable investment, local value creation and regional growth. These opportunities will be explored at Caribbean Energy Week 2027, held under the theme “Unlocking the Caribbean Energy Corridor: Oil, Gas, LNG & Investment for a New Global Hub.” Bringing together governments, IOCs, investors and technology providers, the event will examine how Guyana’s expanding partnerships can accelerate offshore development, strengthen regional energy cooperation and attract the capital needed to support the Caribbean’s evolving energy landscape.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

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Energy Capital & Power Establishes London Entity, Expanding Global Platform for Energy and Mining Events

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The move strengthens ECP’s presence in the UK and Europe, and its ability to connect African and South American markets with global investors

LONDON, United Kingdom, August 6, 2026/APO Group/ –International events company Energy Capital & Power (ECP) (www.EnergyCapitalPower.com) has officially established its UK entity in London, marking a milestone in the company’s growth strategy and reinforcing its ability to deliver world-class energy and mining events and campaigns in the UK and Europe.

By establishing a presence in a key hub like London – the pre-eminent energy and mining finance center – ECP actively shapes the global energy conversation. The expansion positions ECP to better serve clients, partners and investors seeking to develop business opportunities between Africa, Europe, the Americas and energy markets worldwide.

Opening our UK company brings ECP closer to key investors in the global energy finance capital

The milestone comes as ECP strengthens its reach through a series of investment platforms that connect global capital to energy and mining projects. These include the Venezuela Energy Week London Showcase on July 30 – with over 300 delegates registered – and the annual Invest in African Energy Forum, held in Paris as the premier event connecting global investors to Africa’s energy transformation.

ECP hosts high level summits and investor conferences in leading energy and minerals producing countries in Africa and South America, including: Venezuela Energy Week; Angola Oil & Gas; MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power; African Mining Week; Libya Energy & Economic Summit; Congo Energy & Investment Forum; South Sudan Oil & Power; and Caribbean Energy Week. The company has hosted investor forums and supported licensing round roadshows in Houston, London and Paris since 2016.

“Opening our UK company brings ECP closer to key investors in the global energy finance capital,” states CEO James Chester. “Having a permanent presence in London further cements our footprint in Europe, enabling us to fulfil our mission to bring minerals and energy investment to diverse global markets.”

With teams located across Africa, Europe and the Americas, ECP has long-facilitated strategic engagement, market intelligence and industry convening, uniting investors with leading energy and mining projects.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

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