Nairobi County to Host Innovate Nairobi Tech Week 2024 in August

 By Jameson Mutua

The Nairobi County Digital Economy and Startups subsector hosted a roundtable meeting with stakeholders at the Weston Hotel. The meeting centered on this year’s theme, “Innovation for All: Crafting a Tech-Driven Future of Boundless Opportunity.” Participants discussed stakeholders' expectations and the anticipated outcomes for the upcoming Innovation Technology Week, set to take place in August.

Mike Gumo, the County Executive for Innovation and Digital Economy Sector, announced that this year's Innovate Nairobi Tech Week will be community-driven, fostering collaboration and mutual learning. The event will connect investors with startups and like-minded individuals, focusing on achieving tangible outcomes. Gumo emphasized, "Together, we will fulfill the expectations of everyone involved."

Tiras Njoroge, the County Chief Officer for Smart Nairobi, added that the county plans to integrate the startup community into the government during this year's Tech Week.

He stated, "The Governor noted that the key difference between the National Government and Nairobi County is the county's agility. The county delivers services directly, making it an ideal environment for startups. Our goal is to advance beyond the startup phase to a point where public solutions emerge from hackathons."

He also mentioned that the Hospital Management System currently in use by the county originated from the Innovate Week hackathon in 2023.

Mr. Tiras stated, "This year, let's be very intentional in showcasing how our startup economy and ecosystem can be directly integrated into our processes to serve the people. 90% of the issues we face in Nairobi may not be solved by the government alone. It's through these startups that we find solutions. We encourage everyone to contribute positively to this year's Tech Week to generate more solutions, and even after the event, the conversations should continue."

County Director for Digital Economy and Startups, Elizabeth Ndung’u, said, "We want this year’s Innovate Nairobi Tech Week to be more vibrant and improved compared to last year. This year's theme aligns with the Governor's manifesto of creating opportunities for all, so we should all be thinking about the opportunities we can create."

Ms. Ndung'u shared the outcomes and impact of the 2023 Innovate Nairobi Week, which included tech talent training with various organizations, local smart city solutions for the Nairobi County Government, and the digitization of the informal sector, including Juakali, among others.

"During last year's inaugural Innovate Week, we hosted over 1,500 delegates and facilitated exclusive deals for more than 50 startups in our deal rooms. The event featured over 40 speakers and included a comprehensive hackathon, which resulted in numerous solutions developed by young innovators and adopted by various organizations. We had the support of over 25 ecosystem partners and welcomed international startups from countries including Nigeria, Uganda, and the United States," she said.

The anticipated outcome of this year’s Innovate Nairobi Tech Week will focus on harnessing technology and innovation to empower startups, businesses, and investors. This will enhance their ability to compete globally, leading to increased market share, higher exports, and greater overall economic resilience.

The event aims to nurture vibrant entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystems by uniting startups, investors, corporations, academia, and government agencies. It will foster collaboration, knowledge exchange, and provide access to essential resources for startup success. Additionally, it will serve as a platform to address pressing societal challenges.

In attendance were representatives from Digital Economy and Startups, Ignite Afrika, HiiL Innovation Hub E.A, Live Your Dream Entertainment Ltd, ELS, Somo Africa, Dimewise Limited, Virify Incubation, Africa’s Talking Limited, Liquid Telecom, Ed Tech East Africa, the Kenya Climate Innovation Centre, and the Association of Startup and SMEs Enablers of Kenya (ASSEK).

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