A masterclass with Entrepreneurs in Nairobi Kenya teaching them the importance of strategy and how to incorporate strategy into their business . The entrepreneurs got to create their year’s strategies in the form of vision boards with the help of strategy experts and business consultants .
Training for Entrepreneurs in Nairobi Kenya on how to leverage digital content marketing to attract clients and for revenue growth . Incorporated a fireside chat with a content marketing expert who has grown her business through content marketing to go through her entrepreneurial journey and use it to educate and motivate entrepreneurs in the room .
Training Entrepreneurs on financial management skills specifically psychology of money , budgeting and funds management .
Hosting the 2022 UNFPA FGM Innovation Hacklab competition in support of ending female genital mutilation (FGM) in Africa as partners . The hacklab provided a platform for young innovators to share their ideas and solutions to fast track the ending of FGM across the continent.
The UNFPA FGM Innovation Hacklab provided a platform for young people to share innovative ideas and solutions to fast track the ending of FGM across Africa. The hacklab engaged more than 100 innovation incubation/accelerator hubs across Africa, and more than 300 innovators working on achieving bodily autonomy, especially innovative solutions to end FGM. More than 300 innovators and hubs engaged on the application platform, and 31 submissions were received.
Launched in 2021, the hacklab had identified more than 100 innovative solutions, disbursed over $150,000 in seed funds and provided comprehensive business incubation support to scaleable and viable solutions across the continent. In all, more than 1 million young people have been reached with information about FGM innovation as a result.
The winners, Mack Marangu of Enlightened Generation International, Kenya, and Glory Mlagwa of Ennovate Ventures, Tanzania, were each awarded $30,000 in seed funding to support the growth of their solutions, aimed at accelerating progress towards zero FGM in Africa. The winners will also receive incubation support coordinated by AfriLabs.
Intellectual property rights and commercialization
Hosting entrepreneurs to raise awareness about the role of intellectual property (IP) rights in fostering innovation and creativity. The theme of the day is “IP and the SDGs: Building our common future with innovation and creativity,” highlighting the crucial role of IP in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and supporting innovators across the world. We will be holding an event to celebrate the day and highlight the role of IP in supporting innovators and startups in Kenya and Africa at large to contribute to achieving SDGs.
1. Raise awareness about the importance of intellectual property rights in fostering innovation and economic growth.
2. Provide resources, support, and networking opportunities for innovators and startups.
3. Promote collaboration between the industry, private sector, government, legal practitioners, and creatives.
4. Highlight the role of innovation and creativity in achieving the SDGs and building a sustainable future.
Cybersecurity Awareness Session.
This session was designed to address the critical issue of cybersecurity for MSMEs and startups in the Kenyan ecosystem. Learn how to protect your business and assets from cyber attacks by leveraging the GCA Cyber Security toolkit. This event was aimed to equip attendees with practical knowledge and tools to safeguard their enterprises against digital threats.
Business Idea Marathon
This pioneering event was dedicated to tackling gender-based violence through innovative business solutions. The Business Ideas Marathon organized sponsored by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in partnership with the NGEC Kenya, Nairobi County Government, and Daystar University with support from Project Ninja,
Empowering Women in Business
Networking forum for the June 2024 monthly event as we celebrate Women’s Month by honoring the remarkable women making a positive impact in the world of business. Our special event, Empowering Women in Business, will take place on June 21st, 2024, at Antler, ABC Place. This event promises to be an inspiring and insightful evening, featuring two panel discussions:
1.Breaking Barriers and Building Futures: Explore the journeys of women who have overcome obstacles to achieve success and how they are paving the way for future generations. Learn about their strategies, challenges, and the support systems that helped them thrive.
Panelists:
a) Sonia Claire - Regional Lead - HINDSIGHT VENTURES (Moderator)
b) Lucia Wambua - Angel Investor
c) Ali Buckland - COO SKIZAA EDUCATION
d) Phylis Njogoro - Investment Analyst Vested World
2.Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Get into the world of innovation with female entrepreneurs who are leading the way in various industries. Discover how they are harnessing creativity and technology to drive their businesses forward.
Panelists:
a) Wangechi Wahome - CEO, ANZA VILLAGE (Moderator)
b) Stacey Nduta - Membership Coordinator , KAYANA CREATE
c) Stacy Njimu - Portfolio Manager, AMANA CAPITAL
d) Eng. Fatuma Ali - CEO SULHA AFRIKA
We were super excited to host a lineup of remarkable leaders from various entrepreneurial fields who shared their experiences, insights, and strategies for success.
Anza Founders Night – February 23rd, 2024, at ANTLER, ABC PLACE, where we explored the theme “Fintech Frontiers: Navigating Financing, Innovation & Growth.” The event brought together entrepreneurs, investors, and industry experts to discuss the latest trends and challenges in fintech, providing insights on navigating financing, fostering innovation, and achieving sustainable growth in the fintech landscape.
SCALING THROUGH INNOVATION SESSION
July monthly event where we discussed “Scaling through Innovation.” This event was designed to provide valuable insights and strategies for startups and entrepreneurs looking to scale their businesses effectively with Startupgrind Nairobi chapter .
Event Details:
Date: 26th July 2024
Time: 6PM -8PM
Location: ANTLER, ABC PLACE
Event Schedule:
Session 1: Fireside Chat with Victoria Kleinbort - The strategic edge of localizing your IT infrastructure
In this session, Victoria Kleinbort will discuss the importance of localizing your IT infrastructure. Key topics will include:
Benefits of Local Providers vs. Global Providers: Explore the advantages of proximity and accessibility, cost efficiency, personalized services, and local market understanding.
Potential Challenges: Understand the difficulties in meeting international standards and certifications.
Session 2: Panel Discussion on Scaling through Innovation
This panel features leaders from four startups that have made significant moves within their industries. Our panelists include representatives from companies backed by Y Combinator, the renowned Silicon Valley accelerator. The discussion will cover:
Innovative Scaling Strategies: Learn about the creative approaches these startups have used to scale their operations.
Real-World Insights: Hear firsthand experiences and lessons learned from scaling in various industries.
Meet Our Speakers:
FIRESIDE CHAT
ViCTORIA KLEINBORT
Victoria Kleinbort is the Development Manager at Servercore and has 12 years of experience in marketing and product development. She excels in product roadmap development and partner ecosystem creation. Victoria has successfully introduced cloud and bare metal solutions to the Southeast Asia and Africa markets.
PANELISTS
PETER WACHIRA - CEO & COFOUNDER TRIPLY
Peter Wachira is an entrepreneur with a track record of founding and leading innovative companies. He launched his first business at 18, providing essential goods and services to low-income households through a buy-now-pay-later model, which he successfully exited. He then pivoted to the travel sector, establishing one of the leading vacation rental management companies in East Africa.
Driven by a passion for empowering communities and reshaping the travel industry, Peter recognized the operational challenges travel businesses face. This led him to create Triply, an operating system designed to streamline the travel industry's complexities. Triply unifies payments, invoicing, payroll, accounting, and operations into a single platform, enabling travel businesses in Africa to operate more efficiently and effectively.
Notably, Triply was selected for the W24 batch of the renowned Silicon Valley-based Y Combinator accelerator, underscoring its potential to revolutionize the travel industry.
BERNARD MOMANYI - CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER, SANIFU AI
Bernard is passionate about entrepreneurship in Africa, committed to solving the hardest problems using scalable technology, and building businesses that make a significant impact on people’s lives.
With over 10 years of experience as a consultant and entrepreneur, Bernard has developed and acquired diverse skill sets in project management, product development, business development, team management, customer acquisition, customer development, and sales. His expertise spans multiple regions, having worked and consulted for companies in Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, the USA, the Middle East, the UK, and China.
Bernard is currently the CMO and Co-founder of Patika, a company that empowers Africa’s SMBs to track customer debt, facilitate repayments, and manage cash flow effectively. Patika is backed by Y Combinator, having participated in the S22 batch.
FACILITATOR
DEAN GICHUKIE - CO-FOUNDER & CHIEF GROWTH OFFICER , QUIKK API
Dean Gichukie is a Co-Founder & Growth lead at Quikk. He has worked at multiple African VC backed Fintechs. Most recently at a data API startup as CMO, helping onboard 40 million plus data profiles from tech companies, telcos & fintechs. Before that, he worked with a wealthtech, enabling Africans to Invest in global financial markets. He is a founder and operator, building companies & startups in fintech, technology & creative categories over the past decade. He has also mentored, trained & advised dozens of tech companies through accelerators & incubator programmes. He is a semifinalist of the Thiel Fellowship (offered by Peter Thiel’s Thiel Foundation) and the Mastercard Future Forward Innovations programme.Learned from Experts: Gained insights from industry leaders and successful entrepreneurs.
Network: Connected with like-minded individuals, potential partners, and investors.
Get Inspired: Discovered innovative strategies to overcome scaling challenges and drive growth.