Konza Technopolis, Kenya’s emerging tech hub, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Korea Electronic ***ociation (KEA) for the e****lishment of a $1,400,000 (Ksh180 m***ion) electronic and information technology manufact****g support centre, where Korean tech companies w*** set up operations.
“This MoU heralds a new dawn for Konza Technopolis as we enter the next phase of development whereby Korean electronic companies, through their ***ociation, w*** e****lish a manufact****g support centre enabling the various Korean companies to produce their products locally,” Mr John Paul Okwiri, the CEO of Konza Technopolis, said d****g the signing ceremony.
The Korea Electronic ***ociation, e****lished in 1976, brings together more than 370 of Korea’s major electronics and information technology companies such as Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, research ins***utions and academia. Some 17 technology companies have already lined up to set operations at the planned support centre.
“We intend to e****lish an electronic manufact****g support centre in Konza Technopolis, capable of production of electronic products, development of appropriate and s****** workforce and provision of technical support, prototype development production ***istance to research ins***utions, startups, SMEs and Korean companies entering the African market,” C****won Park PhD, Chief Executive Officer and President of KEA, said d****g the signing ceremony.
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The KoTDA Electronics Manufact****g Support Centre w*** be develo*** in four phases which w*** include business planning, training in electronics manufact****g and product development phase, setting up of manufact****g equipment and operational systems and expanding operations and enterprise support systems. “We expect this project to take between two to three years, with Korean companies starting their operations locally,” Mr Okwiri said.
The expected outcome w*** include the setting up of at least 10 prototype equipment, electronics manufact****g support platform. Technological support services w*** include manufact****g support for 100 cases per year, design-manufact****g support for 30 cases per year and electronic board production of 20,000 cases per year.
In addition, the centre w*** support product launch targeting 30 products per year with a reduced average production period of six months, while targeting to train 100 people and support over 100 businesses.
The Korean companies targeting to set up include xVic, which produces portable golf aiming guide; Beaunex, producers of facial mask; Atech Net, makers of **lographic imaging devices; Dooni Corp makers of sound effectors; ***umino makers of UV LED portable counterfeit detectors; Rollingseeds, makers of simpe UX game consoles as well as Share & Share, producers of smart doorlocks; Goonies which manufactures smart edutainment devices and Sonic Dutch Korea, the manufacturers of coffee extractors.
Other companies include Maete, makers of AI functional memory foam ****ows; Gateways which produces indoor fitness gaming devices; Boomengine makers of smart flower pots; AWESOMEAB makers of Eco-frie***y portable water *******; Worldhumantec, producers of personal portable self-defence devices; Gkkelab which makes self-temperature controlling heat gloves; **ney IT manufact****g ELF sleep care devices and BOREA making detachable air steriliser for vehicles.
“Our key focus is to build business-frie***y cooperation, ***ist local innovators and entrepreneurs accelerate adoption of AI in their production processes, secure for them the global supply chain and create a healthy ecosystem for ICT industries,” Park said.
Konza Technopolis is a key flagship project of Kenya’s Vision 2030 economic development blue print that aims to transform Kenya into a middle-income country. It’s tasked with developing a thriving sustainable smart city and a vibrant innovation ecosystem contributing to Kenya’s knowledge economy and transformation of Kenya into a digitally driven economy.
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“Konza Technopolis has a light manufact****g band which targets to **st light manufact****g businesses such as electronic and IT manufact****g and today we are happy to invite Korean electronic and IT companies, which are world cl*** and cutting-edge technology and products to set up their operations here,” Okwiri said.
Konza Technopolis has been a major beneficiary of Korean funded projects which include the Kenya Advanced Ins***ute of Science and Technology (Ke-AIST) modelled after the Korea Ins***ute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and set to open early next year for post graduate stu**** in Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Similarly, the Konza Media City project received Ksh38 b***ion d****g the recently held Korea-Africa Summit in June.
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