Kenya banks on new innovation platform to enhance entrepreneurial skills

 

President William Ruto speaking at the Kenya International Investment Conference held in Nairobi. [PCS]

Kenya is now banking on new innovation platform to showcase and enhance its entrepreneurial skills.

Dubbed Nova Garage, the platform is dedicated to African tech entrepreneurship and the continent’s emerging engines of value creation.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the platform will be officially launched at the forthcoming Africa Forward Summit, which will take place on 11–12 May 2026 in Nairobi.

The platform is a creation of the French-African Foundation and the Autonomous Advancement Initiative, in partnership with Concerto and Nuvision.

The ministry said the initiative is organised under the patronage of President William Ruto.

“Designed as a dynamic space for exchange, demonstration and dialogue, Nova Garage will bring together in Nairobi a curated selection of some of the continent’s most promising entrepreneurs, alongside investors, corporate leaders and public stakeholders committed to advancing innovation across Africa,” read part of the statement.

The platform aims to spotlight the depth and diversity of the continent’s entrepreneurial energy, showcasing the tech solutions developed by the new generation of African innovators across key sectors including energy, agriculture, mobility and finance.

The ministry said a cohort of 15 entrepreneurs under the age of 35 will be identified through a pan-African mobilisation campaign, offering them exceptional visibility before an international audience of business leaders, investors and policymakers attending the Africa Forward Summit.

“Hosted in Nairobi, one of the continent’s most dynamic technology ecosystems, Nova Garage will reflect a shared ambition to highlight Kenya’s growing role as a hub for innovation and value creation in Africa, under the leadership of President Ruto,” the statement said.

 The Musalia Mudavadi-led ministry said a home to over 400 active tech startups, the country continues to lead the continent’s digital transformation, breaking regional records by attracting roughly $1 billion in venture capital last year across key sectors like cleantech and fintech.

The initiative, thus, the ministry said, will also contribute to strengthening economic and technological partnerships between Intra-Africa and Africa-France, fostering new high-impact connections between entrepreneurs, companies and investors from both continents.

“Beyond the event in Nairobi, Nova Garage is designed to become a long-term platform for growth, visibility and networking, promoting African entrepreneurial initiatives and reinforcing cooperation between African and international stakeholders on emerging issues like AI,” it said.

The platform publicly introduces the Autonomous Advancement Initiative, a framework to safeguard sovereignty by positioning African states not as markets to be served, but as co-owners of the critical infrastructure layer of the Intelligence Age.

 The ministry said applications are open to eligible entrepreneurs and social enterprise founders who are under 35 years.

April 23, 2026, is the deadline for submitting applications.

The applications are open to applicants whose founder or co-founder is a citizen of, or holds refugee status in, an African country.

Their solutions must be beyond the idea stage and meet a functional MVP or working prototype, ready to be demonstrated live, clearly addressing a specific problem.

Applicants should be able to provide proof of incorporation or a cap table, a 2–3-page business plan (value proposition, market, viability); or impact metrics for social enterprises