He designs agricultural tools in Côte d'Ivoire. He works with local producers to develop machinery and create services that structure local value chains.
Daniel Oulai (photo), an Ivorian social entrepreneur, focuses on sustainable agriculture, agroecology, and food sovereignty. Born in Liberia and raised in his father's home country, Côte d'Ivoire, he founded and leads the startup Grainotech.
Launched in 2017, Grainotech is an agri-tech company based in Abidjan. It develops solutions to transform local agricultural practices through innovation and digital technologies. The company aims to sustainably structure plant and animal value chains while integrating biodiversity, economic inclusion, and food autonomy.
Grainotech has established an ecosystem covering the entire agricultural chain, from animal reproduction to feed production. This includes engineering tools to reduce post-harvest losses and digitally assisted distribution systems. The company supports small producers by training them, providing equipment, and facilitating market access. Grainotech aims to reach 60,000 farming families by 2030.
Among its tools, Grainotech uses digital platforms, school farms, and a Fablab. This Fablab is a space for designing and sharing open-source solutions, such as the connected solar incubator. The initiative relies on dialogue between scientific research and farmers’ knowledge to develop tools adapted to local realities.
"We have developed a connected solar incubator that allows any farmer in a rural area without access to electricity to reduce egg hatching losses," said Oulai. "It is made from recycled materials, and it's an open-source technology that any farmer can replicate."
Daniel Oulai earned a master's degree in agricultural development in 2016 from AgroParisTech. He began his career in 2013 as program director at ASBL Kouady, a youth association supporting community development in Côte d'Ivoire. From 2018 to 2025, he worked as a training manager at the International Rescue Committee in Côte d'Ivoire. He also served as a consultant for the International Organization for Migration (IOM–UN Migration) from 2023 to 2025.
In 2017, he received the Initiative Climat Afrique francophone award at COP 22 in Morocco. He won the Orange Social Entrepreneur Prize in Côte d'Ivoire in 2018. He also received the Pierre Castel Prize, awarded by the eponymous fund, which recognizes high-impact agricultural projects led by young African entrepreneurs.
Melchior Koba
