TWO YEARS ON: FROM ACS1 TO SAILOR, AFRICA'S OCEAN-CLIMATE FUTURE
Two years ago, at the first African Climate Summit in Nairobi, we launched Kinjani with the belief that Africa’s innovators could chart the course of climate solutions. Returning now from Addis for ACS2, we are proud to share that this vision has only grown bolder. What began as an idea is becoming an ecosystem - and with the launch of the South African Innovation Lab for Ocean-Climate Resilience (SAILOR), we are setting sail on a new chapter.
The panel conversation in Addis reminded us that Africa’s ocean-climate future depends on more than technology and finance - it will be shaped by people. Zandile Hlatywayo from Allied Talent Partners spoke to the immense potential of Africa’s existing skills base, from engineers to marketers, and the importance of creating pathways that keep this talent on the continent. James Mwangi of Africa Climate Ventures challenged us to think differently about how we finance early ventures, noting that resilience comes from capital structures that allow entrepreneurs to grow beyond grants. Mary Kashangaki from FSD Africa reminded us that while catalytic capital is vital, we must avoid trapping founders in cycles of dependency, and instead focus on building commercially viable, investable pathways from the start.
What came through most strongly was a shared sense of urgency and opportunity. We don’t have the weight of legacy industries holding us back; the frontier is open. The future will be built by the next generation of African scientists, entrepreneurs, and community leaders in partnership with national and regional governance systems — people who see climate not only as a challenge but as one of the greatest opportunities for growth and resilience in our lifetime.
It was in this spirit that we launched SAILOR: the South African Innovation Lab for Ocean-Climate Resilience. Endorsed by the UN Ocean Decade’s Global Ecosystem for Ocean Solutions, SAILOR is a non-profit hub designed to connect science, policy, entrepreneurship, and civil society. Its purpose is to accelerate equitable and scalable ocean-climate solutions, with a particular focus on responsible marine carbon removal. Kinjani will anchor the initiative by coordinating stakeholders, finance, designing innovation programmes, and preparing the ground for South Africa’s first field trials. Stellenbosch University’s School for Climate Studies will provide scientific and policy oversight, ensuring alignment with South Africa’s national carbon dioxide removal strategy as well as human capacity development across the science-policy-social- finance nexus. Ocean Visions will bring its global network of mentors, research institutions, and technical partners to connect local innovators to the world stage.
Looking ahead, SAILOR will act as a bridge between African entrepreneurs and global funders, attract external investment to strengthen local initiatives, and develop advanced skills in carbon removal science, engineering, MRV, and governance. To succeed, it will take more than the founding partners. We are calling on industry players, funders, and community organisations to join us - from water utilities and aquariums exploring pilot sites, to philanthropies and corporates ready to support co-design with coastal communities and science-policy nexus stakeholders.
From ACS1 to ACS2, we have seen how quickly ideas can take root when they are powered by African talent and supported by bold partnerships. The next two years will be about building the systems, skills, and pilots that prove what’s possible. With SAILOR, we are not just imagining Africa’s ocean-climate future - we are building it, together.
