The Kenya Industry and Entrepreneurship Program (KIEP) has today unveiled 13 ecosystem intermediaries selected from a pool of 364 applicants to be trained and funded to enhance their Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) training capabilities.
The initiative, SKIES Track 1&2 Ecosystem Intermediaries under KIEP subcomponent, Strengthening Kenya’s Innovation Ecosystem(SKIES), selected the nine incubators and accelerators, and four tech bootcamp providers who demonstrated significant impact in helping SMEs strewn across Kenya to adopt innovation and enhance productivity.
Speaking during the event Principal Secretary for the State Department for Industry, Dr Juma Mukhwana, said the launch of the initiative is a crucial step in our efforts to support innovation and productivity in the Kenyan private sector.
“By empowering these dynamic incubators, accelerators, and tech boot camp providers, we are nurturing the next generation of Kenyan entrepreneurs and unlocking the country’s economic potential, particularly increasing tech skills uptake among women,” the PS said.
The selectees include Swahilipot Hub Foundation, Eldo hub Innovations and Technologies Limited, Nakuru Box Innovation Centre, Sote Hub, PTRE Incubation Centre – Moi University, Mount Kenya University Innovation and Incubation Centre, Kilimanjaro Blind Trust Africa – Africa’s first Assistive Technology Accelerator, Somo East Africa Limited, Ongoza Institute, Startup Lions Assets Kenya Limited, FabLab Winam Foundation, Rift Valley Institute of Business Studies and LakeHub Academy.
The 13 intermediaries who act as enablers in the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda, focusing on sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, health, affordable housing and the digital & creative economy will also receive performance-based grants totalling Sh321.3 million to implement Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs), incubation and acceleration.
The nine incubators and accelerators will support a total of 390 Startups/Scaleups, while the 4 tech boot camps will train 320 students on entrepreneurship and tech related areas.
The project expects to spur 350 new innovations, create 736 new jobs, and achieve a 10 percent increase in revenue among the supported Startups/Scaleups.
SKIES will build the capacity of these Ecosystem Intermediaries, helping them develop sustainable business models, expand their reach, and improve the quality of services they provide to Startups/Scaleups.
This initiative is part of the Kenya Industry and Entrepreneurship Program (KIEP), funded by the World Bank and implemented with the support of the management firm- Spineberg- E4Impact Joint Venture.
