Boosting the sustainable agritech focused early-stage startup scene in Kenya through hackathons and acceleration program
Economic Development
- ESTDEV
Project objectives
The aim of the project is to develop entrepreneurship and create new ICT solutions in Kenya's agricultural sector, thereby helping to increase private-public collaboration and create solutions that alleviate existing problems or bottlenecks.
Actions and results
From April to September, preparatory activities, problem identification, and extensive communication efforts will take place to reach the right profile of participants (active members of the IT community, senior-year students, professionals already working in the field, and farmers). In October, a four-day hackathon in Kisumu will bring together 100 agritech experts and technology enthusiasts to develop prototypes.
Following the hackathon, the best teams will continue in a three-month acceleration program, structured and curated by Garage48, with local expertise and support from AfriFortified. The goal of the three-month acceleration program is to help teams develop a clear action plan, refine and finalize the prototype created during the hackathon, and secure their first users or industry partners who can assist in piloting their product or service. A strong emphasis is placed on creating connections with regional acceleration programs to ensure teams can continue their work within a structured framework with ongoing support services.
Up to five teams will receive funding to further develop their products or services. The appropriate use of funding for product development-related services will be monitored by both AfriFortified and Garage48. A total of 10–15 teams will be selected to participate in the acceleration program.
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