Team Mozambique won the third annual ExxonMobil STEM Africa Competition, which brings together student teams from across the continent to tackle challenges in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The 2026 edition featured teams from Nigeria, Namibia, Angola and Mozambique.
After two days of pitching, problem-solving and demonstrating what young African innovators can build, the results were announced on Tuesday in Cape Town during African Energy Week (AEW):
1st place: Mentes Brilhantes (Mozambique)
2nd place: Ixietu (Angola)
3rd place: Nexora Nexus Inventors (Nigeria)
4th place: Aqua Volt (Namibia)
Team Mentes Brilhantes, from Escola Comunitária Nossa Senhora do Livramento T.3 in Mozambique, presented its Eco Carteiras solutions, which aim to promote a circular economy by addressing two challenges: Mozambique’s high volume of uncollected plastic waste and a significant shortage of school furniture.
The Eco Carteiras solutions aim to use collected high-density polyethylene and polypropylene plastic waste, together with discarded sawdust, to manufacture eco-friendly school desks and chairs that are resistant to water and termites. The two types of plastic were chosen because they do not release toxic gases when heated, while using discarded sawdust avoids the need for new wood.
Source: African Energy Week / Junior Achievement Africa