Igniting the Spark of Entrepreneurship
On November 22nd, 2024, the University of Nairobi, in collaboration with Jasiri, AFRETEC Network, C4DLab, and the Kenya Chambers of Commerce & Industry (KNCCI), hosted a dynamic celebration of Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) 2024. The event, themed “Entrepreneurship is for Everyone,” brought together a diverse community of aspiring entrepreneurs, seasoned innovators, and industry experts to inspire, connect, and empower.
A Day of Inspiration and Knowledge Sharing
The event was a whirlwind of activity, packed with engaging sessions, insightful discussions, and inspiring keynote addresses. The morning session delved into the critical aspects of building sustainable and market-creating innovations, while the afternoon focused on promoting inclusivity in entrepreneurship.
Introductory Remarks: Dr. Samuel Ruhiu, Faculty Member, University of Nairobi, and mentor at the C4DLab
Dr. Samuel Ruhiu, , opened the event, emphasizing the theme “Entrepreneurship is for Everyone,” aligning with the University of Nairobi’s mission. He highlighted the role of entrepreneurship in transcending age, background, and discipline, saying, “It’s a path open to anyone willing to dream, create, and persevere.” Dr. Ruhiu praised the university’s commitment to fostering an inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem through specialized curricula, incubation labs, and mentorship programs.
Dr. Roselyn Marandu-Kareithi, Country Director at the Allan and Gill Gray Philanthropies
Dr. Roselyn Marandu-Kareithi followed with remarks highlighting the organization’s focus on entrepreneurship through programs like Wavumbuzi and Jasiri. She stated, “Jasiri supports young entrepreneurs to be courageous and take that step towards creating high-growth ventures.” Dr. Marandu-Kareithi encouraged aspiring entrepreneurs to take advantage of these opportunities, think creatively, and be bold in their endeavours. She welcomed the Chief Guest to the stage.
Keynote Address: Empowering a New Generation of Entrepreneurs
Ahmed Farah, CEO of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce & Industry, delivered a keynote address, emphasizing the transformative role of entrepreneurship in driving economic growth and job creation. He stated, “Entrepreneurship is the engine of economic growth,” and “Supporting young entrepreneurs is crucial for our future.” John Icharia, Program Lead for the Jasiri Growth Accelerator, shared insights on building sustainable businesses, stating, “Identifying unmet needs is key to innovation,” and “Sustainability should be at the heart of every business model.” Building for Sustainability and Market-Creating Innovations.
Following the Chief Guest’s address, John Icharia, Program Lead for the Jasiri Growth Accelerator, shared invaluable insights on building sustainable businesses and creating market-creating innovations. He discussed the importance of identifying unmet needs, developing unique value propositions, and leveraging technology to drive growth. Icharia stressed the need for entrepreneurs to adopt a long-term perspective and prioritize sustainability in their business models.
Morning Panel Discussion: Building for sustainability and market-creating innovations
The panel discussion on building for sustainability and market-creating innovations featured experts like:
- Mutie Mule, co-founder and CEO of SoliTech
- Mutugi M’Narobi, Managing Director at Made by the People;
- Susanna Ercolani, a venture builder; and
- Collins Manyasi, founder of Kijiji Hubs.
- John Icharia, Moderator
Mutie Mule stressed the importance of transparency and fairness, noting, “One of the key innovations we built was to enhance visibility and transparency in promotions to ensure fairness and support for all employees.”
Mutugi M’Narobi highlighted sustainable solutions that positively impact lives, stating, “Sustainability is not just about being eco-friendly; it’s about creating solutions that can stand the test of time and impact lives positively.”
Susanna Ercolani underscored the necessity of validating business ideas to address real market needs, saying, “Validation is key to avoiding costly mistakes and ensuring that your startup addresses real problems faced by your target audience.”
Collins Manyasi focused on leveraging technology for underserved communities, emphasizing, “Our goal is to leverage technology to create sustainable solutions that address the needs of underserved populations.”
The panellists concluded by offering practical advice for entrepreneurs, with Mutugi encouraging passion and curiosity, and John Icharia reminding everyone, “Entrepreneurship is for everyone, stay passionate, stay foolish, and be curious.”
Pitches followed the panel discussion and ran right into the lunch break, leaving the judges no choice to extend the session while the rest of the participants broke for lunch.
Afternoon Panel: Discussion on Inclusivity
The afternoon panel discussion began with a panel discussion centered on the theme of inclusivity, featuring a diverse group of experts who shared their insights and experiences. Panelists discussed the importance of supporting startups and SMEs, fostering an entrepreneurial culture from early education, and promoting sustainable business models. They also highlighted the need to bridge the digital divide, address gender disparities in technology, and foster collaboration between academia and industry.
The panelists:
- Herbert Thuo, CEO of ANSA Africa, emphasized the importance of supporting startups and SMEs, highlighting the high failure rate and the need for inclusive practices.
- Dr. Njoki Riguga, Program Manager at Wavumbuzi, discussed fostering an entrepreneurial culture from early education to professional levels, emphasizing the need for inclusivity from the beginning.
- Eileen Owino, MD at KIRI Consult, spoke about the role of sustainable business models and the importance of effective communication and networking for entrepreneurs.
- Dr. Samuel Ruhiu, a faculty member at the Department of Computing and Informatics and part of the C4D Lab, shared his experiences in mentoring startups and fostering innovation through problem-based learning.
- Lilian Wangare, Moderator
Showcasing Innovation: Startup Pitches
The event also featured a series of startup pitches, showcasing innovative solutions to pressing challenges. Amicus Friends Talk emerged as the top winner, followed by ParkSpeed and Wakazi Works as runners-up. Amicus Friends Talk is a platform providing personalized advocacy for gender-based violence survivors using AI and blockchain. Darubini Afya won the Audience’s award top pitch after voting by via a scanned QR code. The startup provides affordable and accessible mental health services. It offers teletherapy, mental health resources, and support groups to address mental health challenges in the community.
The C4DLab proudly presented three startups at the event, two of which wound up runners-up.
- Parksby(1st runner-up): A platform connecting those with underutilized parking spaces to individuals seeking parking in urban centers. (This is incubated at the C4DLab.)
- Wakazi Works (2nd runner-up): An innovative e-commerce platform specifically tailored for creatives, allowing artisans to directly access local and global markets (incubated at the C4DLab).
- Rosium: A road monitoring platform using artificial intelligence and crowdsourcing to provide predictive insights into road conditions affected by climate change. Roisum, incubated at the C4dLab leverages smartphone sensors and cameras to collect data on road conditions, creating a machine model that predicts changes and maps hazards such as floods and potholes. This data-driven approach helps design and build resilient roads, reducing climate hazard risks and improving traffic management.
These startups presented their innovative solutions to address various social, economic, and environmental challenges, showcasing the potential for technology and innovation to drive sustainable development and improve lives.
Closing Remarks and a Call to Action
In his closing remarks, Prof. Francis Mulaa, the Acting DVC, Research, Innovation, and Enterprise at the University of Nairobi, expressed gratitude to all participants and highlighted the university’s commitment to fostering an entrepreneurial ecosystem. He emphasized that innovation and enterprise are key aspects of university life and announced that similar events would be held monthly to support and nurture budding entrepreneurs.
“This is the beginning of many such events. We will have one such event every month,” he stated. He encouraged attendees to actively participate, support their peers, and seek business opportunities that could be commercialized or help others to do so.
Prof. Mulaa also mentioned the university’s collaboration with several international bodies and companies, emphasizing the importance of reaching such levels to industrialize Kenya. “By attending our events, you get noticed, and you also notice what other people are doing in this space,” he added, underscoring the significance of these events in building a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem.
A Vote of Thanks
The event concluded with a heartfelt vote of thanks delivered by John Icharia on behalf of Jasiri. He expressed gratitude to the attendees for their patience and grace through the day’s technical challenges. “We as Jasiri are very excited to be part of this ecosystem,” John remarked. He expressed eagerness for future partnerships with the University of Nairobi, Afretec, C4DLab, Mama Ngina University, and all other partners involved.
“We look forward to having many more of these events and continuing to build a thriving entrepreneurial community,” he concluded, reinforcing the collective effort to foster innovation and enterprise in Kenya and beyond.