Over Sh2 million up for grabs for Kenya’s promising innovators

Nairobi University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Peter Mbithi during an interview with the Standard PHOTO:WILBERFORCE OKWIRI

Emerging innovators have a chance to win cash prizes during the Nairobi Innovation Week scheduled for next month.

The winner in the health category of the event to be held on March 5-9 at the University of Nairobi (UoN) will walk away with Sh1 million courtesy of Villgro Kenya.

UoN has also offered Sh1 million to support 100 beginners and reward 15 best performers in the start-ups contest.

The start-up contest aims at encouraging new innovators while attracting the right investors to fund them.

Agriculture, education, governance, hardware and clean-tech categories are also open for interested innovators.

SELECTION PROCESS

Applications will go on until January 31, after which the selection process starts, followed by preparation and coaching of the identified inventors.

Information and Communications Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru, who launched the event at a hotel in Nairobi, encouraged emerging innovators to enrol, saying their participation would earn them “huge returns” in the long run.

And UoN Vice Chancellor Peter Mbithi said it was a golden opportunity for upcoming inventors to showcase their potential.

Interested persons can apply for participation on the Innovation Week portal.