The Presidential Innovation Challenge and Award, a flagship initiative led by President William Ruto, brought together 86 Kenyan startups on Monday to pitch their innovative ideas.
This event, organised by the Kenya National Innovation Agency (KeNIA), aimed to provide funding and technical support to startups across various sectors.
Innovation sectors and support
The challenge focuses on several key sectors: agriculture and food security, digital transformation, affordable healthcare, entertainment and gaming, climate action, and green energy.
Dr Tonny Omwansa, CEO of KeNIA, emphasised that the initiative is designed to create a robust ecosystem of innovative startups ready for investment and commercialisation.
Selected startups will receive de-risking grants of up to KES5 million (US$40,000) and benefit from incubation and acceleration programs, investor linkages, and exhibition opportunities.
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Pitch fest and entrepreneurial development
The week-long pitch fest in Nakuru County provided a platform for innovators to present their groundbreaking ideas to a panel of expert judges. This event is part of a broader effort to develop the entrepreneurial capacity of young innovators across Kenya.
The program collaborates with the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy, and Sports to encourage and support young people using their creativity and problem-solving skills to make a positive impact.
Dr Omwansa noted that KeNIA implements this initiative as a “special purpose” as it offers “a platform to support the ecosystem for effective commercialisation and investment of promising innovations”, adding that by offering funding alongside support from mentors the programme was looking to turn promising ideas into viable businesses that would contribute positively to Kenya’s economy.
The Presidential Innovation Challenge and Award also aim to showcase promising innovations at the Kenya Innovation Week and support their commercialisation through a Presidential accelerator program. This comprehensive approach ensures that innovative ideas are recognised and nurtured to achieve their full potential.