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Kenya Innovation Week 2023, Commonwealth Edition: Innovation to Unlock our Common Wealth

 







The dates: 27th November-1st December 2023. The venue. The Edge Convention Centre, Nairobi, Kenya. It’s spectacular, the Edge Convention Centre, at the College of Insurance in South C. The Southern Bypass side, the Nairobi National Park… you get the feeling that a lion might just cross the road… on the other side, NEMA, KIRDI, KEBS… it’s symbolic, the venue… for this area is where industry is supported, more so, start-ups like myself.

Some background, funding/financing, is the major barrier for start-ups… starting up, scaling, innovating… the national government, having realised that, has introduced the Hustler Fund, with components (IMELP/Biashara Loan) to start off small businesses… it’s symbolic too that the CS Chelugui is launching the same during the Kenya Innovation Week… it’s something small businesses don’t take for granted.

The Edge Convention Centre, has an SGR feel to it… the architecture… floating in the air much like the SGR that backgrounds it. It’s ambitious, much like the Kenya Innovation Week (#KIW2023)… scenic, serene, ii immediately transports you to the serious business taking place. The partners: Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports, The Commonwealth, Kenia… notable investors include the British Council (and by extension, the British Government), E4Impact (and by extension, the Italian Government)… support for Creatives and Businesses to start and scale up… funding, market linkages, entrepreneurship…

The President H.E. William Ruto is present on the first day, awarding the best innovations… just to show how serious the government takes innovation as the pinnacle of unlocking the nation’s immense potential, more so, her youthful and innovation populace. First, a tour of the exhibitions… green energy, blue economy, climate resilient and smart agri, tech, Creative Economy… from primary schools, secondary schools, higher leeraning institutions, business… innovation has no boundaries… kindly visit and see for yourself.

Lunch is served… 3 or 4 course… buffet style… I lost count after a while. Meat- fowl, beef… greens, fruit, soft beverage, puddings… the host, Commonwealth Secretariat, is a generous host and we eat to our feel, and more… we eat till we are tired, Kenyan-style… the same is replicated in the evening at the Secretary’s Reception… the Senior bachelor saved… cocktails and bitings without number, massive opportunity to network…

The KIW2023 is by design, the government taking industrialisation seriously, very seriously… week after week, there is something around industrialisation… at Sarit, KICC, UoN grounds, the Edge Convention Centre, elsewhere within Nairobi County and outside… there is even a programme to support upcoming industries, small and medium, to grow big… meaning you miss out when you don’t attend such forums. After all, knowledge is power.


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