Mucheru, ICT CS, unveils a plan to jumpstart innovation with a start-up advisory board.
The Kenyan government is apparently considering alternatives for establishing a Start-ups Advisory Board to aid the development of scientific parks and other sectors of innovation in the region, according to the ICT Ministry.
Mucheru
This was revealed by ICT CS Joe Mucheru, who was speaking at Konza Technopolis during the annual International Association of Science Parks and Areas of Innovation (IASP) Africa Division Conference. Mucheru stated that if the Board is constituted, it will encourage additional start-ups that are critical to the digital economy’s acceleration.
In addition, the CS stated that the government intends to collaborate closely with other partners, such as Huawei Technologies, to develop a skills database in the country. The database, according to the CS, will aid in identifying skills gaps and taking steps to close them, resulting in progress in the development of science parks and areas of innovation.
Said the CS:
“I would like to appreciate the efforts on innovations that this conference has showcased. One thing I would like to recommend is that we need to have a Startup Advisory Board. The board that we have currently at Konza Technopolis aims at developing the infrastructure, but we need a board that can handhold our startups to develop them,”
Dr. Sara Ruto, Chief Administrative Secretary, Ministry of Education, represented CS Prof. George Magoha at the two-day hybrid event.
She stated that the establishment of the Kenya Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) at Konza will attract more innovators to the country and help Africa’s economy develop faster.
She said:
“In addition, we require institutions where scholars can work on projects that benefit both countries.” Projects like Konza’s KAIST, which aspires to bring together the greatest brains from throughout the area, can aid us in making greater scientific and technological breakthroughs,”
Maureen Mbaka is the Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) for ICT, Broadcasting, and Telecommunications.
Maureen Mbaka, the Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) for ICT, Broadcasting, and Telecommunications inaugurated the event and reaffirmed support for government innovation initiatives such as Whitebox and Girls in ICT, which continue to engage innovators in the country.
“We’ve kept rallying innovators, particularly young women and girls, to pursue STEM possibilities in order to power our digital economy.” As a result, we continue to urge other industry stakeholders to expand relationships in order to develop innovation in our country and across Africa,” Mbaka stated.
Eng. John Tanui, President, IASP Africa Division, and CEO of Konza Technopolis Development Authority (KoTDA)
Eng. Tanui continues to foster the spirit of innovation, noting that the IASP conference presented yet another opportunity to strengthen Africa’s knowledge economy.
Said John Tanui:
“The role of science parks is quite very significant across the world. This is where the greatest ideas turn into solutions for the biggest problems in the world. Science parks have become the areas where economies are driven. With over 500 delegates at this conference, I am delighted that the academia and innovators have showcased various solutions during this conference. The relationship between these stakeholders is what is going to transform our continent in terms of creating knowledge and wealth as a continent,”
Maureen Mwaniki, Vice Director, Programs Management at Huawei Technologies
Huawei Kenya, in collaboration with other organizations such as Konza Technopolis, has influenced over 20,000 students in the last year, according to her. Ms Mwaniki went on to say that in the coming year, they hope to reach out to more than 23,000 people through innovative programs.