Climate technology hub launches in Kenya

INNOVATIONS

A new business hub for African climate technology entrepreneurs was launched in Nairobi this week, to boost locally sourced green technologies in the Africa region.

The Kenya Climate Innovation Center (CIC), a cutting-edge facility, will offer financing and other services to a growing network of climate innovators and entrepreneurs.

The first of its kind in the world, it is expected to support up to 70 sustainable climate technology ventures in the first five years, and is set out to generate 4,600 direct and over 24,000 jobs in total within ten years.

The launch in Kenya was witnessed by representatives of the Kenya government, private sector leaders, and development agencies.

Kenneth Ndua, founder of start-up Fawandu, is one of the entrepreneurs connected to the CIC Kenya. His innovation is a domestically produced, high-efficiency stove that simultaneously cooks and sanitizes water through boiling.

“I want to provide clean water and cooking to 24,000 households, and create 550 jobs, 400 of which will be for women. The support of the CIC will help with the commercialization and rollout of our products at the national level,” he says.

The CIC is made possible by contributions from the government of Denmark and Britain’s UKAid. The CIC is an innovative model to accelerate locally owned, locally developed solutions to climate change. In addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving climate resiliency, it will accelerate business in high-growth sectors such as renewable energy, agriculture, clean water, and energy efficiency.

 “The Climate Innovation Center will contribute to Kenya’s transformation to a middle income country in line with the Government’s Vision 2030 strategy,” says Alex Alusa, Advisor on Climate Issues in the Office of Kenya’s Prime Minister. “It will enable small and medium enterprises in Kenya and the region to achieve the essential technological advancement and catalyze innovative technology."

The Kenya CIC was developed in close consultation with Kenyan partners to ensure local relevance and long-term sustainability. It is hosted by the Strathmore Business School, in collaboration with Global Village Energy Partnership International (GVEP), PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC) and the Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI).

The center will help Kenya achieve a mix of economic, environmental and social results, including: jobs created and companies launched; a reduction of CO2 emissions; greater climate resiliency; access to clean energy and water; and strengthened technology and innovation capacity.

The Kenya CIC is part of infoDev’s Climate Technology Program (CTP), which is establishing CICs in six other developing countries and the global infrastructure to support and link them. The Kenya CIC will be seeded by a contribution of US$15 million over five years.