TECHNOLOGY

Kenyan Innovators Among Them 3 Students Win Ksh13 Million

Global tech giant, Mozilla Corporation, in collaboration with Nairobi City County Government hosted the inaugural Mozilla Africa Mradi Innovation Challenge at the Arboretum Park in Nairobi.

The intensive pitching and selection process picked three tech start-ups: Getpayd, Deaf Elimu and Hali Halisi, and three student innovators – Classify Me, Audred and Mama Pesa. The innovators have received grants amounting to Ksh13 million and will get technical assistance to further develop their products and position themselves in the market.

The programme seeks to identify African tech entrepreneurs/startups and tech students who can benefit from an acceleration programme that provides technical support, access to grants and, ultimately, market access. The initiative is designed to promote innovation led by and grounded in the unique needs of users on the African continent.

Speaking at the inaugural Innovate Nairobi Tech Week 2023, Nairobi County Governor Mr Johnson Sakaja said the Nairobi City County Government is working with Mozilla Africa Mradi to ensure that tech start-ups and innovators get access to grants and are enabled to access venture capital investments locally and globally.

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One of the establishments of incubation hub is located at the Eastlands Library in Maringo Hamza Ward in Makadara supporting over 20 startups on investor readiness and coding for kids aged 7-13 years.

The Mozilla Africa Mradi Innovation Challenge was launched in Nairobi in May 2023 with a call to tech innovators in Africa to develop creative solutions for unique African needs. “From 2015 Mozilla has distributed over $20 million through fellowships and awards to support individual and collective actions that nurture unique innovations that benefit communities,” said Ms Mitchell Baker, CEO and chairwoman of Mozilla Corporation.

Mozilla Innovation Challenge Kenya — In the first place, Classify Me secured the prize of Ksh500,000. The second-place spot went to Audread, earning Ksh300,000, with third place Mama Pesa getting Ksh200,000. (PHOTO / Courtesy)

The 2022 Kenya Start-Up Ecosystem Report by Disrupt Africa identified 308 active tech start-ups in Kenya, employing over 11,000 Kenyans. The report further indicates that only 50% of these start-ups, the majority of which are fintechs, have undergone some form of acceleration or incubation.

Mr John Omo, the Secretary-General of the African Telecommunication Union (ATU), said , ATU’s min goal is advancing Africa’s digital economy. “We work to create harmonized digital economies through standardized policy and regulatory frameworks for the African region,” Mr Omo said.

According to the Digital Economy Blueprint, Kenya is a regional leader in access to digital infrastructure. It is estimated that 55% of jobs in Kenya will rely on digital skills by 2030.