The highly anticipated Kenya Innovation Week 2024 has commenced today, 25th November 2024, at the Edge Convention Centre, marking a significant step towards making the event an international affair.
The Kenya Innovation Week – Africa Edition will embrace a Pan-African perspective and will lead impactful discussions on enhancing the innovation ecosystems for the advancement of Africa.
Organized by the Kenya National Innovation Agency (KeNIA), this year’s edition aims to accelerate innovation-driven collaborations and partnerships while addressing critical challenges in the innovation ecosystem.
KIW 2024 brings together innovators, policymakers, entrepreneurs, investors and thought leaders from across Africa to harness the power of innovation.
Focused on recognizing groundbreaking ideas shaping the continent’s future, this years Kenya Innovation week seeks to enhance cross-border collaborations through policy alignment and intersectoral partnerships.
“Collectively, we explore solutions in areas such as healthcare innovation, food security and agriculture, climate action and green energy, digital transformation and youth empowerment, celebrating African ingenuity while driving transformative change.”
The week-long event coincides with the conclusion of the 2023-2024 Presidential Innovation Challenge and Awards and the official launch of a call for submissions for the 2024-2025 Innovation Challenge.
Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy, and Sports, Kipchumba Murkomen, lauded the contributions of this year’s participants, emphasizing the importance of engaging in future editions to position Kenya as a global innovation hub.
“Countries that perform well in terms of innovation are those that give priority to protecting their intellectual properties,” said Mr Murkomen, highlighting the critical role of the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) in safeguarding Kenyan innovations.
Mr Murkomen also underscored the need for closer collaboration between youth, universities, and innovation programs to bridge the gap between theoretical learning and practical application.
He pointed to immigration intolerance as a challenge for Kenya, contrasting it with top-performing innovation nations like Sweden, which leverage immigration to drive creativity.
The CS encouraged Kenyans to adopt similar strategies to enhance the country’s innovation landscape.
This year’s theme centers on Africa, with President William Ruto advocating for making the event a truly global platform for dialogue, knowledge exchange, and collaboration across diverse sectors.
Participants and innovators are encouraged to sign up for the 2024-2025 edition by submitting applications via the KeNIA website.
The event sets the stage for Kenya to cement its role as a leading innovation powerhouse on the global stage.
Last year, Nairobi hosted the inaugural Commonwealth Edition of Kenya Innovation Week from 27th November to 1st December 2023 at the Edge Convention Centre.
Themed ‘Innovating to Unlock Our Common Wealth,’ the event brought together leaders, business figures, young innovators, and academics from Commonwealth nations to explore innovation opportunities, challenges, and collaboration.
Key highlights included the launch of Kenya’s 10-year Innovation Masterplan by President William Ruto, who emphasized leveraging innovation to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
In his opening remarks, he celebrated Commonwealth ingenuity and underscored the event’s role in addressing innovation challenges and opportunities.
The Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, delivered a keynote address, stating:
“Kenya Innovation Week is so special because it is a unique opportunity to combine the Commonwealth’s capabilities and pool our power… Together we can push the boundaries of what is possible and step closer to the future we dream of: a secure future, a resilient future, an exciting future.”
During the event, 15 innovators received recognition at the Commonwealth Secretary-General’s Innovation for Sustainable Development Awards 2023. Winners from five categories aligned with the 2030 Agenda pillars (People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace, and Partnership) were awarded £3,000, a trophy, and a certificate.
The event underscores Kenya’s pivotal role in fostering innovation and advancing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within the Commonwealth.