It's official: Roliann SARL has won first place in the 9th edition of the Pierre Castel Prize in Ivory Coast. Thanks to its pioneering EcoScan project—a digital solution combining agricultural traceability, reforestation monitoring, and carbon credit valorization—the startup is headed to the pan-African final, which will be held next September in Benin.

In addition to this ticket to the final against the other champions of the continent, the winner takes home a financial prize of 16.3 million FCFA .

Innovation and the future are at the heart of the discussions.

The awards ceremony took place on June 26, 2026 at the SOLIBRA headquarters in Treichville, bringing together ministerial representatives (Youth and Employment, Digital Transition) and key players in the Ivorian economy.

Marc Pozmentier, CEO of SOLIBRA and chairman of the jury, praised the relevance of EcoScan in addressing current ecological and economic challenges:

“This year, we wanted to focus on innovation and future-oriented solutions. Ivory Coast is on the move. Our ambition is to identify the future national champions who will contribute to the country's international standing.”

A major challenge awaits Roliann SARL, as Ivory Coast puts its title on the line after Stane Blegbo's (DJOLI) pan-African victory in 2025. The company's manager, Inza Bakayoko, expressed his gratitude and determination to proudly represent Ivory Coast internationally.

A ranking that celebrates entrepreneurial diversity

The competition also recognized other high-impact projects through special prizes:

1. Jean Fabrice Paco (Witti Finances Prize - 1 million FCFA): Recognized for his system combining drones and intelligent sensors for soil monitoring and early detection of crop diseases.
2. Olga Gnadji (Triple of awards): Specializing in the promotion of local products (especially cassava), she leaves with the SOLIBRA Special Prize (1 million FCFA), the second Witti Finances Prize (500,000 FCFA), as well as the Sococé Côte d'Ivoire Special Prize , which will open the doors of large distribution to her.

Finalists with strong ideas

The jury also praised the quality of the other projects in contention, demonstrating the vitality of tech and the ecological transition in Ivory Coast:

1. Sustasolution SARL: Transformation of food waste into protein flour using black soldier fly larvae.
2. Waribei Côte d'Ivoire (Fabrice-Mozart Amani): Mobile solution allowing traders to access stock advances.
3. Sungreen CI (Mohamed Coulibaly): Production and sale of products from organic farming.

In September in Benin, the pan-African final promises a high-flying competition between representatives of seven countries: Ivory Coast, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Madagascar, Republic of Congo and Benin (host country).