<div dir="ltr">Kudos to serikali for this one ... Mambo Grassroots !!!<br></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, Jan 24, 2013 at 3:25 PM, Phyllis Nyambura <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:pnyambura@ict.go.ke" target="_blank">pnyambura@ict.go.ke</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">Listers, <br><br>The incubation model got fresh momentum today as the government, through the Kenya ICT Board, announced that it is putting money to support ICT SME's. The incubation facility will be hosted at Nailab and more than 30 start-ups are expected to benefit for a period of 3 years. <br>
<br>For more information see below:<br><br clear="all">
<p style="line-height:normal"><b>Government extends $1.6M support for ICT start-up businesses</b></p>
<p style="line-height:normal"><b><i>�</i></b><b><i>Pilot incubation program to tap
into the robust ICT Enterprise by developing soft business skills and
operational support</i></b>
</p><p style="line-height:normal"><b><i>�</i></b><b><i>Nairobi, January 24<sup>th</sup>, 2013�</i></b>The Kenya ICT Board, has
today launched a pilot of the first government supported ICT based incubation
program worth $ 1.6 Million with funding from the International Development
Association (IDA).
</p><p class="MsoNormal">The Information and Communication Technology business incubator
pilot will be implemented by NaiLab and will work with at least 30 startups
hosted at the incubator and another 100 virtually over a three-year-period in
an effort to sustain the concept and create high impact enterprises aimed at
growing Kenya�s economy and creating employment. Nailab, <span style>a partnership funded by <i>1%
Club</i> and managed by NaiLab Ltd, won the contract to host the incubator, in
a competitive process that saw more than 16 companies bidding.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The program�s main goal will be to build a program, support
infrastructure and outreach with successes being replicated in other parts of
the country.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">�The growth of Kenya�s economy is pegged on how many
profitable businesses we are able to build and sustain. This project displays
the government commitment towards supporting SME�s and growing Kenya as an ICT
destination,� says the PS, Ministry of Information and Communications, Dr Bitange
Ndemo. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The project is timely as Konza Technology City prepares to
transform the ICT investment landscape in Kenya in the next three years.
Innovation, a strong talent pool and entrepreneurship will be the cornerstone
of the smart city success.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>�</span>The incubation
addresses many of the gaps that have been identified in SME high failure rate.
These gaps include increasing the capabilities of the entrepreneur in terms of
soft skills, technical skills and business skills, business counseling, access
to affordable services and facilities, access to SME finance, better linkages
with both the academic community and industry, and quicker commercialization of
innovations.<span>� </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">�This initiative is a public-private-partnership that builds
on existing efforts in building an ICT ecosystem to support entrepreneurs
towards turning ideas into scalable businesses. Such collaborations have proved
to give great results,� said Kenya ICT Board CEO, Paul Kukubo.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The incubation facility will have a mix of entrepreneurs in
the concept, early and mature stages. The companies to be considered will be
less than five-years old, offer ICT-oriented products and their offerings
should have an impact on Kenya�s social-economic environment.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">�Our objective has been and will always be to stimulate
innovations and encourage entrepreneurship in Kenya, with the signing of this
contract with the Kenya ICT Board; we will be able to reach out to other parts
of the country, all grass root problems cannot be solved using ICT, but
innovation includes creating new more effective processes and we hope to play
our role in that. �We want to make sure that those we will incubate double
their turnover within three years,� said Sam Gichuru, the NaiLab, CEO</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-justify:inter-ideograph;line-height:normal"><span>The pilot project will also see Kenya ICT
Board and Nailab <span style>establish collaborative relationship
with relevant organizations and institutions to drive the ICT agenda in the
country.</span></span><span style></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-justify:inter-ideograph;line-height:normal"><span style>�</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>�</span>�It is important for
entrepreneurs to have other value addition other than just capital such as
industry knowledge and strong mentorship for their start-up. Establishing a
facility to give support services will enable the entrepreneurs get clarity in various
areas like target customers, approaches to reach them, infrastructure and how
to run their business successfully,� says Mr. Andrew Lewela, Project Manager,
BPO/ITes at the Kenya ICT Board.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style>A business
incubator avails young enterprises with an environment conducive to accelerate
business ideas by availing work spaces, business coaching and mentorship. The
Kenyan pilot model is looking at innovative ideas with business potential in
ICT.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">�Our target has never been to have more �techies�
/programmers sitting in the space but to have them interact with the farmers,
health workers, teacher and matatu drivers and other relevant subsectors of the
economy, we need to understand their problems so that we can design market
driven solutions,� added Sam Gichuru<a name="13c6c8ce1878d5b9__GoBack"></a>.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><br></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>About NaiLab</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">NaiLab is a startup accelerator is a partnership between 1%
Club and Nailab ltd ,that offers a<span>� </span>three
to 12 months entrepreneurship program with focus on growing innovative
technology driven ideas, this is done by providing business advice, technical
training and support, professional mentoring and coaching, access to market,
strategic partnership and most important investors.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The NaiLab focuses on early stage business ideas that are
likely to have a large social and economic impact, are highly scalable, require
minimum investments to prototype and have a strong value proposition.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>About Kenya ICT Board</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Established as a state corporation in 2007, the Kenya ICT
Board�s has been a champion and an active enabler for the adoption and
exploitation of ICT, through promotion of partnerships, investments and
infrastructure growth for socio economic enrichment. This is in line with
making Kenya African premier ICT hub by 2030.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>�</b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Regards,</b><br></p>Phyllis Nyambura<br>Communication Writer<br>Kenya ICT Board<br><br>Telposta Towers, 12th Floor, Kenyatta Ave<br>
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