Pilot Incubation Program Launched in Kenya

On 24 January 2013, the Kenya ICT Board launched the first government supported ICT Incubation Program on behalf of the Ministry of Information and Communications, with funding of $1.6 million from the International Development Association of the World Bank as part of the Kenya Transparency and Infrastructure Project.

The host incubator was selected through a competitive call and was awarded to NaiLab in Nairobi. NaiLab is a Business Incubator focused on supporting entrepreneurs with innovations in the technology and ICT space that address a business need in Kenya. It was founded in 2010 in partnership with co-founders of the 1% Club to provide a collaborative working space. NaiLab opened on 04 August 2011 and incubated its first cohert of start-ups. Through the 1% Club, NaiLab partnered with Accenture in 2012, who assisted them in creating a business curriculum and providing mentoring.

Over a three year period of time, the ICT Business Incubator pilot aims to host at least 30 start ups and provide virtual support to a further 100 start ups across the country with the aim to create high impact enterprises and create employment in Kenya. Supporting entrepreneurship and creating sustainable employment is a key element of realising Vision 2030. The program will focus on capacity building in terms of soft skills, technical skills, business skills, business counselling, access to services, facilities and SME finance, creating linkages between the academic community and industry and commercialisation of innovations.

The pilot will support a mix of concept, early stage and mature entrepreneurs. Companies supported will be at least 5 years in existence and focus on ICT products that impact on Kenya's socio-economic environment.

Through the pilot project Kenya ICT Board and NaiLab aim to establish collaborative relationships with relevant organisations and institutions to drive the ICT agenda in Kenya.