Nairobi, 22nd May, 2024
County Executive for Innovation and Digital Economy, Mike Gumo today officially launched Innovate Nairobi Tech week 2024 set to take place in August this year.
In a video presentation, H.E. Governor Sakaja Johnson highlighted the significant potential of Nairobi’s innovators and creatives in addressing various challenges. He pointed out that while the city has a wealth of innovative solutions, the main challenge lies in effectively connecting these solutions to the problems they are designed to solve. Governor Sakaja emphasized the importance of creating networks, enhancing skills, and building institutions to facilitate faster innovation and ensure that innovators can benefit from their creativity.
The county boss announced that the county is committed to closer cooperation with the tech ecosystem and startups. He underscored the ongoing efforts to collaborate with both local and international partners. He further outlined key areas of progress, including improving public awareness of available services, fostering collaboration between startups and the tech community with capital access, and streamlining the entry process for foreign partners and firms.
Said Mr. Gumo “The Innovate Nairobi Tech Week event marks a significant milestone in our journey to transition Nairobi into a hub of technological innovation and excellence in Africa. Over the years, our city has emerged as a vibrant ecosystem for technology and entrepreneurship. We have witnessed the rise of groundbreaking startups, the development of transformative technologies, and the establishment of a community that thrives on creativity and innovation. Innovate Nairobi Tech Week is a celebration of this history and a testament to our commitment to fostering an environment where ideas can flourish and transform into tangible solutions that improve lives”.
Mr. Gumo went on to say that the tech week is deeply rooted in H.E Governor Sakajas’ visionary manifesto, “Let’s Make Nairobi Work.” This manifesto emphasizes creating a city characterized by order, dignity, hope, and opportunity. The Governor’s vision is clear; to create a smart Nairobi with centralized services, provide quality infrastructure, deliver affordable healthcare, improve public transport, and foster a productive environment for economic growth. These initiatives are crucial as we endeavor to position Nairobi as a meeting hub of innovation in Africa and globally”.
Mr. Gumo shared that the County is committed to ensuring that the benefits of technological progress reach every member of the community in Nairobi, in Kenya, and globally. This means creating an environment where every individual and organization has the opportunity to contribute and benefit from technological advancement.
He said “Let us remember that innovation is not just about technology. It is about people. It is about empowering our citizens with the tools and knowledge they need to thrive in a digital world. It is about building a future where every Nairobian can participate in and benefit from the technological advancements we celebrate here today”.
Chief Officer for Smart Nairobi, Tiras Njoroge said “Our biggest backbone is the young people and their creativity in this City and that is why as a County, we hold technology at a very high level. We pride ourselves as the Silicon Valley of Africa and we aim to rival the best cities in the world. We want to ensure that our young people can have as many opportunities as possible within the tech world as well as ensure that the county uses the best technology that is possible for our activities”.
County Director for Digital Economy and Startups sub sector, Elizabeth Ndung’u shared that the County will ensure sustainability of the Innovate Nairobi Tech Week as it is anchored in the sub sectors’ County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP) 2023-2027 of building tech talent that will support increased number of startups as well as talent for the ecosystem.
Ms. Ndung’u said “We are anticipating this year to be bigger and more inclusive picking from lessons learnt last year. We have seen many companies come on board and we have had partners who are ready to help in tech talent training and this is a good initiative for our county youth, it has helped us bridge the digital divide among the youth”.
She further added that there will be key note addresses, exhibitions and demonstrations, networking events, thematic tracks and panel discussions, hackathons and coding among others.
ICT Advisor to the Governor, George Musyoka, said, “Today we stand at the forefront of a digital revolution where the power of technology is reshaping the way we love, work, and interact. Through Innovate Nairobi Tech Week 2024, Innovation and Digital Economy Sector aims to showcase the remarkable talent and cutting edge solutions that are being developed here in Nairobi”.
Director ICT office of the Governor, Gedion Thande encouraged the stakeholders to actively participate in the workshops, conferences, and networking events throughout the Innovate Nairobi Tech team as each day will feature networking opportunities, allowing participants to connect with change-makers, learn from experts, and showcase ideas while building a supportive community.
In attendance was County Chief Officer for ICT Infrastructure, John Lintari, County Director Infrastructure, Truphena Ogonda, Innovation and Digital Economy Sector officers and representatives from Somo Africa, EdTech East Africa, Africa’s Talking Limited, ABSA Bank, Octavia Carbon, Save The Children Kenya, Connexus, Chasing Mavericks, Incubator Nest Hub, Liquid Telecom Kenya, UNICEF, Tectona Group, Association Of Startup And SMEs Enablers Of Kenya (ASSEK) among others.
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