THE NAIROBI INNOVATION WEEK 2022

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Theme: Innovation for Transformation and Impact in the society

NAIROBI INNOVATION WEEK 2022

The Nairobi Innovation Week (NIW) is an annual event celebrating local and international innovations while enhancing the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. Since the first Nairobi Innovation Week in 2015, the University of Nairobi in collaboration with a large number of partners and stakeholders have convened each year to organize and execute the NIW event. However, due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the NIW 2020 and 2021 were not held.

NIW banner

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.

The sixth installment of the Nairobi Innovation Week is set to be held this year along the theme “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.

Call for innovators — Register as an innovator or exhibitor

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.

Call for sponsors — Register to be a sponsor or partner

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