It brought together a diverse mix of aspiring entrepreneurs, seasoned innovators, and industry experts.
The day was characterised by 25 Start-up pitches to a panel of judges.
The Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) Chief Executive Officer Ahmed Farah speaks during the Global Entrepreneurship Week event at UoN/Handout
The University of Nairobi on Monday hosted the Global
Entrepreneurship Week Kenya 2024.
The event held under the theme, ‘Entrepreneurship is for
Everyone’ was organised in collaboration with Jasiri, AFRETEC Network, C4DLab,
and the Kenya Chambers of Commerce & Industry (KNCCI).
It brought together a diverse mix of aspiring entrepreneurs,
seasoned innovators, and industry experts for a day of inspiration and
empowerment.
The day was characterised by 25 Start-up pitches to a panel
of judges, insightful panel discussions on Kenya's innovation ecosystem on
innovation and inclusivity and keynote speeches.
The planning committee announced that they had received
applications from 55 start-ups.
The KNCCI Chief Executive Officer Ahmed Farah in his keynote
address underscored the critical role of entrepreneurship in driving economic
growth and job creation.
Farah announced that Kenya has done better than most African
countries in innovation efforts.
He announced that Kenya received a total of Sh800 million
last year to scale innovation and entrepreneurship efforts.
He urged all the stakeholders to challenge the youth to
change their mindsets on investing in entrepreneurship.
“Entrepreneurship is the engine of economic growth. Supporting
young entrepreneurs is crucial for our future,” Farah said.
His address was themed, ‘Entrepreneurship as a Catalyst for
Economic Growth’.
Participants pose for a photo during the Global Entrepreneurship Week event held at the University of Nairobi/Handout
Country Director at the Allan and Gill Gray Philanthropies Roselyn
Marandu-Kareithi showcased and highlighted their initiatives that support innovation
and entrepreneurship.
“Jasiri supports young entrepreneurs to be courageous and
take that step towards creating high-growth ventures,” she stated.
She also emphasised early development programmes like
Wavumbuzi (an Eastern African entrepreneurship programme), designed to
stimulate entrepreneurial mindsets in high school students.
Marandu-Kareithi encouraged attendees to think creatively
and be bold in their entrepreneurial endeavors.
Her colleague, John Icharia, Programme Lead for the Jasiri
Growth Accelerator, echoed these sentiments in is presentation on market
creating innovations, stressing that identifying unmet needs is key to
innovation.
“Sustainability
should be at the heart of every business model,” Icharia said.
Samuel Ruhiu, A senior lecturer at the University of Nairobi
and mentor at the C4DLab, highlighed the university's efforts in promoting an
inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem through specialised curricula, incubation
labs, and mentorship programmes.
“Entrepreneurship transcends age, background, and
discipline. It’s a path open to anyone willing to dream, create, and
persevere,” Ruhiu said.
A lively panel discussion on building sustainable businesses
featured notable experts including co-founder and CEO of SoliTech Mutie Mule, Managing
Director at Made by the People Mutugi M'Narobi, venture builder Susanna
Ercolani and founder Kijiji Hubs Collins Manyasi.
Each shared valuable insights, with Mule emphasising
transparency and fairness in business practices, and M'Narobi advocating for
long-lasting, impactful solutions.
Ercolani highlighted the importance of validating business
ideas to ensure market relevance, while Manyasi focused on leveraging
technology to aid underserved communities.
Prof Francis Mulaa, Acting DVCRIE, UoN awards an innovator, Wakazi Works at the Global Entrepreneurship Week event, with Dr Roselyne and Dr Sam Ruhiu/Handout
The afternoon session continued with a panel on inclusivity
in entrepreneurship, centred on fostering an entrepreneurial culture from early
education, supporting startups and SMEs, and promoting sustainable business
models.
The event also showcased innovative startup pitches, with
Amicus Friends Talk emerging as the winner for their platform that provides
personalized advocacy for gender-based violence survivors using AI and
blockchain.
Other notable mentions included Parksby and Wakazi Works,
both incubated at the C4DLab, and Roisum, a road monitoring platform leveraging
AI for predictive insights.
The panelists doubled up as judges at the event.
The Acting DVC, Research, Innovation, and Enterprise at the
University of Nairobi Francis Mulaa concluded the event by expressing gratitude
to participants and emphasizing the university's commitment to nurturing an
entrepreneurial ecosystem.
“This is the
beginning of many such events. We will have one such event every month,” he
announced, encouraging attendees to actively participate and seek opportunities
for participation and collaboration.
In this ever-evolving landscape of entrepreneurship, the
University of Nairobi stands as a beacon of hope and progress.
The future beckons with possibilities that stretch as far as
the imagination can reach.
The seeds of innovation sown on Friday November 22, 2024,
will undoubtedly sprout into the ground-breaking enterprises of tomorrow,
propelling Kenya and the world into a new era of inclusive and sustainable
growth.
This is possible if enterprising souls continue to dream,
innovate, and build a future where entrepreneurship truly is for everyone.
