Konza Technopolis recently held a two-day MSME–Innovator Connect Forum aimed at using technology and collaboration to unlock growth for Kenya’s micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
The forum brought together 50 MSMEs and 50 local tech innovators to jointly identify operational bottlenecks and co-create solutions that can be deployed directly inside real businesses. The focus was on manufacturing, agribusiness and ICT. These sectors are seen as critical to Kenya’s industrial and digital future.
MSMEs account for over 33% of Kenya’s GDP yet many still struggle with efficiency, market access, financing and technology adoption.
According to Konza Technopolis CEO John Paul Okwiri, the forum was designed to close the gap between innovation and real-world business needs.
“Many Kenyan innovators are developing solutions that never reach the businesses that need them most. By directly connecting MSME owners with innovators, we are supporting solutions that respond to real operational needs and reduce the risk of business failure,” Okwiri said.
Unlike traditional hackathons or demo days, the Konza forum followed a problem–solution fit approach. Innovators were embedded alongside MSME owners to understand day-to-day challenges before building prototypes.
Dr. Mercy Mutahi, one of the participating innovators, said collaboration was key to building solutions that survive beyond the lab.
“When innovators work in silos, even good ideas struggle to scale. This forum made it easier to co-create and build solutions that are practical for MSMEs,” she noted.
The event also featured a keynote by Prof. Eng. P. Ndirangu Kioni, former Vice Chancellor of Dedan Kimathi University of Technology, who urged young innovators to treat MSME challenges as opportunities for impact-driven entrepreneurship.
The forum marked the launch of the Konza MSME Incubation Programme, a structured three-month initiative that will support the most promising solutions developed during the event. The programme will include weekly coaching sessions, access to Konza’s prototyping and testing facilities, mentorship on IP and commercialisation and monitoring of real-world impact in partner MSMEs.
Through partnerships with the UNDP Timbuktoo Green Tech Hub and the Mastercard Foundation, Konza aims to position local solutions for regional and continental markets under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework.
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