Overview

Nairobi Innovation Week is an annual event in the university calendar. It focuses on catalyzing innovations, incubation, startups, and the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the university. Further, it provides a platform for local and international innovators to showcase innovations and build business networks.

The University organizes the event in collaboration with local and international partners and stakeholders. The purpose of the NIW is to contribute towards a vibrant innovation ecosystem and entrepreneurial culture through policy influence, research dissemination, showcasing innovation, incubating innovation & ideas, startup creations, networking, capacity building, investment, and support opportunities.

Targeted area and beneficiary

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.

  1. Manufacturing- This category focuses on innovations in any aspect of the manufacturing sector from carrying out manufacturing activities to providing support to manufacturing enterprises
  2. 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.
  3. Affordable Housing- Innovations include but not limited to affordable housing, sustainable housing technologies, and financing models of ownership among others.
  4. Health- Innovations in software applications in health management, health care products, health services among others.
  5. 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 Fin Tech, transport, the environment, energy among others

Approach

The NIW 2023 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 2023 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.

Summary of Main Events

  1. Opening Ceremony
  2. Problem-Based Learning Summit
  3. Innovation & Incubation summit
  4. Hackathon and pitching
  5. Startup Summit
  6. Grant Holders Summit
  7. Training on the commercialization of innovations
  8. Innovations Exhibition
  9. Career Mentorship for Students
  10. Master Classes
  11. Music Extravaganza
  12. Health Talks
  13. Closing Ceremony

Click here for NIW 2023 Events

Contacts:

Address: P.O. Box 30197 -00100, NAIROBI

Website: niw.uonbi.ac.ke

Contact Person: Prof. M. Hutchinson

Telephone: +254 20 4913164

Mobile phone: +254 703 126934

Email: niw@uonbi.ac.ke