Nineteen-year Nigerian-born innovator, Ifeoluwa Afolayan, a Master’s student of Design Engineering at Imperial College London and Royal College of Arts, has won the first-prize at WE Innovate.

We Innovate is Imperial College London’s flagship pre-accelerator programme supporting women-led ventures.

Her team was awarded 15,000 euros to further develop its innovative agricultural initiative to transform farming practice.

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, and empower farmers with innovative technology— while promoting environmental 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. Our goal is to create solutions that transform farming and save our planet from adverse climate change.”

Her team plans to partner a Nigerian firm to expand its initiative, leveraging the grant and mentorship support to scale their impact.

Their project aims to introduce climate-resilient farming techniques, innovative crop management systems, and sustainable resource use to Nigerian farmers.

Ifeoluwa believes that collaboration with Nigerian industry partners will accelerate the deployment of their solutions, creating new opportunities for local farmers and contributing to Nigeria’s efforts in achieving sustainable agricultural development.

“This achievement is a testament to the power of innovation and resilience. Our project aims to transform agriculture in Nigeria, making it more sustainable and climate-proof. We believe that with the right support and partnerships, we can create lasting change that benefits farmers and helps safeguard our planet for future generations,” Ifeoluwa stated.

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), each won first prizes of £15,000 in the WE Innovate 2025 Grand Final.