Kenya’s Acacia EPZ is among five African enterprises chosen for the inaugural cohort of the Nature-First Innovation Lab (NFIL).

Founded in 2015 by Sam Ombogo Nyamboga, Acacia EPZ exports traceable gum arabic—an essential emulsifier and stabilizer used widely in soft drinks, confectionery, and pharmaceuticals. With geopolitical conflict severely disrupting supply lines from Sudan, the firm has positioned Kenya as a reliable, conflict-free alternative. Over 70% of its wild-crop harvesters are women who rely on standing woodlands for their livelihoods. Supported by strong international demand, the company has grown its revenues by 56% over the last two years.

The 12-month accelerator is run by FSD Africa in collaboration with Systemiq and the African Natural Capital Alliance (ANCA). Backed by UK International Development and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad), the programme aims to prepare the five revenue-generating ventures to raise a combined target of approximately USD 10 million in commercial investment.

The three other companies joining the cohort reflect diverse nature-positive models across the continent:

  1. ForestFoods: Co-founded by CEO Sven Verwiel, ForestFoods is proving that syntropic agroforestry, a Brazilian farming methodology that integrates trees, crops, and livestock to mimic natural ecosystems and regenerate degraded soil, can be commercially viable in East Africa. Operating farms in Limuru, Naivasha, and Naro Moru, the venture is currently developing a new commercial site in Shimba Hills.
  2. Forested: Operates across Kenya, Ethiopia, and Uganda, aggregating regenerative honey, beeswax, shea butter, and botanical oils from smallholder farmers for sale to global beauty brands.
  3. NovFeed (Tanzania): A circular bio-economy enterprise that converts organic waste into sustainable protein ingredients for fish feed and organic fertilizer.
  4. Savanna Agri Chains (Ghana): Sources and exports shea butter and baobab through an organized network of more than 1,000 women harvesters across 22 northern districts.

NFIL operates as an equity-free accelerator. Participants receive direct technical grants, hands-on assistance with financial modeling and governance structures, rigorous metrics for verifying nature impact, and targeted introductions to commercial financiers.