Kenya
Microsoft African Development Centre - Kenya
Developer Communities are an essential part of Microsoft's mission to enable people across the world to achieve more through tech. They are the de-facto homes of passionate developers and are an anchor for great ideas, innovation, and learning. ADC's presence not only acts as an anchor for developers but also provides a source of skill and talent to enable developers everywhere. <p></p> <mark>The African Development Centre provides a great source of speakers and mentors to African developer communities. The developers have experience working for Microsoft that they can seed into the communities they work with.</mark> <p></p> The Microsoft 4Afrika Volunteer Programme (My Skills) has also played a great role in bringing in expertise from across the globe to local communities.
EldoHub
EldoHub is an education, innovation and technology organization targeting youth and women, with an aim of <mark>preparing them to benefit from the opportunities the emerging ICT industry offers and close the skills gap in Africa’s job market.</mark> We provide STEM education, job matching and digital work. We also run entrepreneurship development programs for them, as well as incubate startups to bring their ideas to life. <p></p> Eldohub responds to these barriers to decent employment which includes availability of skilled employees among the youth and demand by businesses to hire. We do so by </mark>supporting Young Tech Professionals to gain practical work experience and launch careers in the technology sector through job placement, training on Digital Leadership, soft skills and 1:1 mentorship by experienced professionals from the tech industry.</mark> We work with businesses and Young Tech Professionals to ensure they are mutually getting value, i.e. the business benefits from the tech talent support while the young tech professional gains from relevant skills and decent work.
SwahiliPot Hub
Swahilipot Hub Foundation is a non-profit organization based in Mombasa that focuses on inspiring and developing upcoming innovative technology ideas and art through networking, technical training, support, professional mentoring and coaching. <p></p> Swahiliopt Hub registered as a Foundation in Mombasa was started in 2016 working with Techies and Artists with the aim of enabling them to develop themselves and reinvesting positive growth by <mark>creating an appropriate environment for youth on the Kenyan coast to build sustainable solutions of the highest calibre around challenges in the community.</mark> <p></p> Swahilipot hub has achieved this through interventions such as training, mentorship and coaching and programs like Pwani Innovation Week that promotes innovation ecosystem in the coastal region. <p></p> Our aim is to inspire innovators, policy makers, funders, corporations, researchers, and other players to <mark>take risks on new ideas and trends, collaborate across sectors, and transform the Kenyan Coastal region through the scaling of innovation. </mark>
Sote Hub
The first incubator in rural Kenya, providing an open space for young innovators & startups to develop their creative genius working on local solutions. <p></p> Using digital technology, Sote Hub trains rural youth in Taita Taveta, Kwale (and Coastal region) often marginalized with less opportunities for career progression or technology) on jobs, career preparedness; support them establish startups where they create products/services and test with real customers. <p></p> <mark>Sote Hub Incubation Programme enhances business ventures empowering young entrepreneurs to gain traction and revenue, access to funding and partners, critical tools and ongoing mentorship.</mark> Over the last four years, the program has graduated 40 startups and job/internship matching opportunities to 700 youth. <p></p> UNDP reports that the Kenyan unemployment rate in 2017 is 40%. The highest in the East Africa region. However, the chances of youth to get formal employment are even slimmer. Only around 10% of the newly created jobs are in the formal sector. <p></p> Sote Hub today provides an open space for young innovators and startups to design market solutions to local challenges.
Mt Kenya Hub
MHUB is a convention and interaction place where everybody interested in innovation get to Research, Share, Invent and Innovate the world. <p></p> What we offer <p></p> Coworking Space <br> Work stations to fit the need of Start Ups. Dedicated work stations with all basic amenities and a vibrant community to interact with <p></p> Hot Desk <br> In this beautiful, open space there are no dedicated desks <p></p> Startup Incubation <br> <mark>Our goal is to provide support to entrepreneurs to help them grow & scale their business.</mark> <p></p> Pitch Breakfast <br> We profile possible investors and link them to innovations in the hub through a common platform “MHUB Pitch Breakfast”
LakeHub
LakeHub is a growing community of creatives, programmers, hackers, designers & entrepreneurs. We learn, share, collaborate and have fun everyday. <p></p> Established in May, 2013 LakeHub was started by students and young professionals living in and around Kisumu that want to empower technologists in the region to take advantage of the limitless opportunities to improve business with technology. As LakeHub continues to <mark>grow it will create co-working space(s), grow tech-based businesses, build personal and professional networks, and support teams with creative solutions in locally relevant industries such as Fishing, Dairy, and Tea Farming.</mark> <p></p> We're bridging the talent gap. <br>We're a local Academy based in Kisumu, Kenya with the mission to fill the talent gap within the tech industry. <p></p> But that's not it! <br> Besides the necessary technical skills, you will also learn <mark>how to work in projects within a modern tech team and how to be a problem solver.</mark> <p></p> LakeHub Academy is a web development program for talented young people and other disadvantaged groups who want to power Africas 4th Industrial Revolution.
C4DLab
Incubation is a process of supporting successful development of startup companies through provision of resources and services, which the startup companies do not have. At C4DLab we take startups which are multi-disciplinary but have a computing element. And with initiatives like the TUMI Startup Accelerator, startups are equipped and trained in the ways of taking their businesses to the next stage <p></p> Research and Product Development<br> C4Dlab has established several partnerships with government, private sector and multinationals to promote data driven policy making through research. With funding from various organizations and utilizing capacity at the University, C4DLab has championed development of policy and strategy documents founded on rigorous research. Get unlimited access to multidisciplinary research riding on the huge network of faculty at the University of Nairobi and partnering institutions. <p></p> Innovation Ecosystem Development<br> <mark>C4DLab runs numerous events in form of seminars, bootcamps, workshops, etc geared towards building the capacity for the university community to easily innovate.</mark> It is the home to the Nairobi Innovation Week, an annual event that celebrates local and international innovations while enhancing key aspects of the local innovation ecosystem. In addition through Nairobi Design Thinking School (NDTS) C4DLab offers practical causes in Human Centered Design and Multi Disciplinary Problem Based Learning.
Chandaria Business Innovation & Incubation Centre
The directorate works to foster the culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in Kenyatta University through establishment of innovation and entrepreneurship programmes that have strong links with industry.<p></p> <mark>Industry collaborations are critical for skills development (education and training), the generation, acquisition, and adoption of knowledge (innovation and technology transfer), and the promotion of entrepreneurship (start-ups and spin-offs).</mark> <p></p> The directorate also works to enhance coordination of Research and Development (R&D) agendas and avoid duplications, stimulate additional private R&D investments, and exploit synergies and complementarities of scientific and technological capabilities. This collaborations also expands the relevance of research carried out in Kenyatta University, foster the commercialization of R&D outcomes, and increase the mobility of labour between Kenyatta University and industry. The industry benefits through increases in the propensity of firms to introduce new products and to patent. <p></p> Kenyatta University (KU) established Chandaria Business Innovation and Incubation Centre as a dedicated innovation and incubation hub. This arose since it is one of Kenyatta University’s major strategic goals aimed at responding to societal needs. Innovation is a key driver of long- term economic growth, the primary basis for competitiveness in world markets and part of the response to many societal challenges. While public expectations from technological innovation are evolving in line with social concerns (e.g. unemployment, sustainable development, aging populations), the innovation process itself is facing major challenges, especially in developing countries such as Kenya.
NaiLab
Nailab has over 10 years experience in developing customized training and acceleration programs with strong mentorship elements together with our partners both in Africa and around the world. <p></p> Community<br> Mwanzo is a <mark>virtual platform that equips entrepreneurs with the skills to build sustainable businesses that practically solve Africa’s unique challenges using innovation through business mentorship and community support.</mark> <p></p> Funding<br> We run challenges to facilitate access to seed funding to enable entrepreneurs to take their ideas to the next level, grant funding to support already existing business and recognize outstanding entrepreneurs in the continent. <p></p> Growth opportunities<br> Every business needs to be alert to new opportunities. Companies must continuously strive to identify new growth opportunities such as; investment opportunities, grants and new ways to identify new markets in order to achieve long-term business success. <p></p> Capital<br> Every new business idea or existing businesses, whether it's for products or services, require one vital thing: Money. Entrepreneurs need capital to pay for the cost of production, hiring staff, renting premises, buying or leasing equipment, marketing, etc.. <p></p> Knowledge<br> The abilities that can help you launch a business are not the same as those you need to help it grow. Entrepreneurs are the driving force behind creating and growing new businesses. All too often, they are also the people holding them back by lack of relevant knowledge.
iHub
We are a globally recognised organisation that is deeply steeped in the local technology innovation culture. We’ve been both the main catalyst for regional technology acceleration and a role model for technology hubs across emerging markets. <p></p> We are nurturing a generation of business owners, business leaders, business builders. We invite you to join us and grow with us <p></p> <mark>We serve the technology community, by connecting organizations and people, building market-relevant solutions and being ahead of the curve of innovation</mark> <p></p> The iHub has inspired and supported over 450 startups over the years and it continues to offer the community of technology entrepreneurs and those who want to become entrepreneurs <p></p> We strongly believe that we will play a quintessential role in leapfrogging the African technology entrepreneurship scene by creating an environment of trust and experimentation that facilitates the growth of entrepreneurs and their companies