President William Ruto has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to leveraging technology and innovation to combat unemployment and create sustainable job opportunities.
Speaking at the launch of the 4th Kenya Innovation Week in Nairobi, the President emphasized Kenya’s growing role as a global innovation hub.
“Kenya is now a leading destination for global venture capital. Harnessing these opportunities is essential to ensuring we create adequate, high-quality jobs for our youth,” President Ruto stated.
Scaling Up Innovation Investments
The government is ramping up investments in innovation to empower startups and foster youth-driven enterprises. President Ruto highlighted that these efforts aim to establish sustainable businesses capable of generating long-term employment.
To centralize innovation efforts, the President announced that the Kenya National Innovation Agency (KeNIA) will move from the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy, and Sports to the Office of the President. This shift, he explained, will enhance government-wide collaboration and resource mobilization.
Launching the Start-Up Fund
President Ruto unveiled a KSh1 billion Start-Up Fund to support emerging businesses and pledged to propose an additional KSh500 million allocation to Parliament for KeNIA. He stressed that these resources would help de-risk venture capital, enabling more innovative ideas to transition into commercial enterprises.
“At the moment, limited resources are preventing many ideas from reaching commercialization. By increasing funding, we can bridge this gap and unlock Kenya’s full innovation potential,” he said.
Advancing Key Sectors Through Innovation
President Ruto underscored the importance of turning ideas into practical solutions to address challenges in sectors like health, agriculture, and security. He noted that government funding for KeNIA has significantly increased, rising from KSh18 million in 2022 to KSh200 million this year.
These investments, he added, have accelerated the implementation of Kenya’s 10-Year Innovation Masterplan. Initiatives like the Research-to-Commercialization Accelerator have supported 18 enterprises, raising over KSh100 million, while the Kenya Network of Entrepreneurial Institutions has empowered university leaders to champion entrepreneurial transformation.
Strengthening Global and Regional Collaboration
Kenya is strengthening its innovation ecosystem through partnerships such as the Kenya-India Innovation Nexus and the Africa Innovation Agencies Network. These collaborations aim to unlock new markets and deliver transformative solutions across the continent.
President Ruto called on stakeholders—including government bodies, the private sector, academic institutions, and development partners—to intensify efforts to promote innovation.
“Together, we can build an ecosystem that positions Kenya as a leader in job creation, investment attraction, and sustainable growth,” he stated.
