Kenya Airways on 8th July 2021 launched the Fahari Innovation Hub, a centre for generating new ideas and data-driven innovations. The Fahari Innovation Hub is part of KQ’s strategy in contributing to the sustainable development of Africa by empowering, partnering, and co-creating innovative ideas and strategies with local startups and the small-medium enterprises (SMEs).
Speaking during the launch, the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of ICT, Innovation and Youth Affairs Joseph Mucheru said, there is need to invent new ways for the future and especially for young people to respond as flexibly as possible to changing times and diverse opportunities.
“We commend Kenya Airways for partnering with National Youth Council and GE and leveraging and harnessing youth potential to design the Fahari Innovation Hub in fast-tracking the country’s mission to use new, digital & environmental friendly business models beyond flying to shape our tomorrow,” Mr Mucheru said.
Through the hub KQ hopes to see provision of upskilling, employment opportunities, community growth as well as support to local universities, enterprises and SMEs.
“At the pace at which change accelerates, especially now in the middle of a global pandemic, we have become increasingly aware of the need to be innovative as we position the business as a resilient, forward-looking and sustainable company with a deliberate inclusive agenda of empowering, partnering and co-creating with the society around us,” Kenya Airways Chief Executive Officer, Allan Kilavuka said.
The Fahari Innovation Hub has operated virtually for about one year. With the setting of a physical workspace, the hub will provide a centre for strategic innovation management offering opportunities for co-creation, collaboration, networking, research, and learning.
Last week, the Fahari Innovation Hub curated a virtual workshop for entrepreneurs dubbed the ‘KQ Aviation 101 Workshop’ where the Fahari Innovation Challenge was launched. The workshop apprised startups and SMEs on the opportunities available to access markets within the entire value chain of the aviation sector which includes airports, the food industry, tourism, and digitization including Boeing Horizon X, IATA, Kenya Tourism Board, Nas Airport Services, General Electric, Hivos East Africa, and Funkidz Limited.
