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The Nairobi Innovation Week (NIW) started in 2015, and is an annual event celebrating local and international innovations while enhancing innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. The University of Nairobi in collaboration with a large number of partners and stakeholders convene each year to organize and execute the NIW event.
The objective of the NIW is to contribute towards a vibrant, productive and sustainable innovation ecosystem through policy influence, showcasing innovation, research dissemination, networking, capacity building, connecting start-ups and innovators to industry.
However, due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the NIW 2020 and 2021 were not held.
The Nairobi Innovation Week 2022 theme is “Innovation for Transformation and Impact in the society.”
Target area and beneficiaries
The event is meant for a wide range of stakeholders including students, researchers, start-up or small enterprise; innovators or entrepreneur thinking about starting a business; an investor or venture capitalist. Fifty (50) exhibitors are expected to participate this year NIW. The Exhibition area shall be divided into the following types of exhibitors.
The NIW 2022 will focus on innovations and start-ups. The innovations will be guided by the Big-Four agenda and crosscutting innovations as indicated below:
- Manufacturing- This category focusses on innovations in any aspect of the manufacturing sector from carrying out manufacturing activities to providing support to manufacturing enterprises
- Food Security- Innovations in agricultural value-chain. These could especially focus on improved production, climate smart farming, post-harvest losses, access to cheaper inputs, better storage facilities, and so on.
- Affordable Housing- Innovations include but not limited to affordable housing, sustainable housing technologies, and financing models of ownership among others.
- Health- Innovations in software applications in health management, health care products, health services among others.
- Cross-Cutting- Innovations that do not belong in any of the above categories, but are cross-cutting in that they support the Big-Four agenda. These could include innovations around FinTech, transport, the environment, energy among others.
Expected outcomes of the NIW 2022
- Strengthened Industry-University linkages
- Mainstream innovation and entrepreneurship mindset in Higher Institutions of learning in Kenya
- Build and strengthen innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem networks locally and internationally.
- Create awareness on Intellectual protection of research output and commercialization of innovations.
Duration and Venue
Date: April 26 to 28, 2022
Duration: 3 days
Venue: Great Court, Main Campus, University of Nairobi
Approach
The NIW 2022 will feature an Innovation Summit with a series of keynote addresses and invited speakers to lead the discussion on the State of the Innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem in Kenya. The Summit brings together innovators, startups, entrepreneurs and enablers for a day of learning, networking and sharing.
Further, the climax of the event will be an Innovations Exhibition hosted at the University of Nairobi Main Campus in form of a hub, around which the numerous events constituting the Nairobi Innovation Week 2022 revolves.
The three-day event is a nexus point for innovators, start-ups, entrepreneurs, enablers, established companies, government agencies, funders and academia to showcase their innovations, products, programmes and services all contributing to growing the innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem in the region.
The structure of the event
Day 1
- Opening ceremony
- Innovation Summit
- Innovation Exhibition
Day 2
- Start-ups Summit
- Innovation Exhibition
Day 3
- Seminar: Intellectual Property and innovation commercialization seminar
- Innovation Exhibition
- Award of the best stand
- Closing ceremony
