Kisumu, Friday, November 19th, 2021: The Konza Technopolis Development Authority (KoTDA) has empowered at least 1,000 youth over the last eighteen months through various innovation programmes.

300 of the youth were reached through the Great COVID-19 Acceleration Challenge which was organised by KoTDA in partnership with the Association of Countrywide Innovations Hubs with a view to spurring innovations around the pandemic crisis. The rest of the youth were reached through other innovation initiatives which the Authority has been participated in.

This emerged during the Lake Basin Innovation and Investment Week where KoTDA’s Chief Manager in charge of Business Development and Innovation, Stella Muhoro lauded the innovations being showcased in the country, adding that this is in keeping with the Authority’s mission to create a knowledge and innovation-based economy.

She said, “Through working together with other partners, Konza Technopolis has, in the course of the last one and a half years, empowered well over a thousand youth through various innovation drives. This is a field that we shall continue to build in order to transform Kenya into a Knowledge-based economy.”

“The Konza Technopolis Development Authority is glad to be part of the second edition of this conference. Kisumu has demonstrated itself to be a vibrant city that promises to deliver innovative solutions that will contribute to Kenya’s progress towards the attainment of the aspirations of the Kenya Vision 2030.” She added.

The KoTDA Chief Business Manager, who represented the KoTDA CEO, Eng. John Tanui, added that the conference also provided a benchmark for other regions to scale up the innovations.

LakeHub Founder, James Odede said the Lake Basin Innovation and Investment Week attracted 1,000 attendees drawn from across the innovation industry. He said, “We are doing this event for the third time and the whole point is to convene entrepreneurs, innovators, investors, policymakers, government, development agencies and other ecosystem players to share ideas that can spur economic growth of the Lake Victoria Basin. We are glad that we attracted about 500 physical attendees and another 500 virtual attendees.”

Mr. Odede thanked Konza Technopolis for supporting the conference which was convened by Winam Capital, LakeHub and FabLab.

Other organisations which participated in the conference include KTN Global Alliance, German Cooperation, Association of Countrywide Innovation Hubs, Strathmore University, British High Commission Nairobi, the French Embassy in Kenya and UK Aid.

Also speaking at the conference, British Deputy High Commissioner to Kenya, Josephine Gauld urged the stakeholders and innovators in the region to enhance collaborations and resilience while innovating.

Through the conference themed Achieving Dynamic, Innovative and Entrepreneurial Ecosystem during the COVID-19 pandemic in the region, partners also sought to discuss how startups can access funding for their innovations.

As part of nurturing the innovation spirit, the conference, through Winam Capital, has organised a hackathon in which at least 50 children will be trained.

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