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Extending the shelf life of fruit: Ugandan entrepreneurs Sandra Namboozo and Samuel Muyita in top 10 innovators of the Young Inventors Prize 2025
Despite the steady increase in the global population, around 40% of all food produced does not reach the market , according to the World Wildlife Fund
Namboozo and Muyita both grew up in farming families and saw first-hand the challenges of post-harvest losses, which have a devastating impact on the profit of small-scale farmers. , they developed sachets, which release a blend of plant-derived volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to The compounds – extracted from cloves, lemongrass, eucalyptus and wintergreen – inhibit ethylene production, the natural gas responsible for fruit ripening, and Their solution allows for the controlled, sustained release of these compounds, tailored to different fruit types, thereby providing a biodegradable alternative to conventional artificial preservers.
Pilot tests conducted with Uganda's National Agricultural Research Organization showed that mangoes stored with the sachets remained fresh for 33 days, while those without them lasted only 11 days. The sachets have since been successfully used on bananas, apples, and oranges. With an affordable price point, Karpolax's sachets are particularly suited to smallholder farmers and local markets, offering
explains Namboozo.
The duo met while studying at Makerere University in Kampala , where they quickly bonded over a shared ambition to reduce food waste. They launched Karpolax in 2020 and aim to expand its reach across Africa , targeting Kenya , Rwanda and beyond. "
By 2023, Karpolax had already worked with over 100 farmers, 20 exporters and 250 market vendors. The company is now expanding its product line to include sachets for pineapples, capsicum and berries.
Namboozo and Muyita's work supports SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) by reducing post-harvest losses and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) by promoting sustainable food preservation practices.
Find more information about the invention's impact, the technology and the inventor's story
here .
Aimed at individuals 30 and under, the Young Inventors Prize showcases the transformative power of youth-driven solutions and recognises the remarkable young people paving the way to a more sustainable future. Established in 2022, trophies were first handed out during the European Inventor Award ceremony. From 2025 onwards, the Prize will move up a gear with its own dedicated event, held separately from the Award. Among the 10 Tomorrow Shapers selected for each edition, three will be awarded a special prize: World Builders, Community Healers, and Nature Guardians. In addition, a People's Choice winner, voted by the public online, will be revealed. Each Tomorrow Shaper will receive EUR 5 000, the three special prize winners will each receive an extra EUR 15 000. The People's Choice winner will be awarded an additional EUR 5 000. Read more on the Young Inventors Prize eligibility and selection criteria.
With 6,300 staff members, the European Patent Office (EPO) is one of the largest public service institutions in Europe . Headquartered in Munich with offices in Berlin , Brussels , The Hague and Vienna , the EPO was founded with the aim of strengthening co-operation on patents in Europe . Through the EPO's centralised patent granting procedure, inventors are able to obtain high-quality patent protection in up to 46 countries, covering a market of some 700 million people. The EPO is also the world's leading authority in patent information and patent searching.
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