<div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:medium;color:rgb(0,0,0);text-align:justify;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0in"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:"trebuchet ms",sans-serif"> Listers,</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:medium;color:rgb(0,0,0);text-align:justify;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0in"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:"trebuchet ms",sans-serif"><br></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:medium;color:rgb(0,0,0);text-align:justify;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0in"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:"trebuchet ms",sans-serif"> </span>The Ministry of Industry, Trade & Cooperatives (MoITC), in partnership with the World Bank Group, launched the Kenya Industry and Entrepreneurship Project (KIEP), on 4th June 2019. <span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:medium;color:rgb(0,0,0);text-align:justify;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0in"><span> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:medium;color:rgb(0,0,0);text-align:justify;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0in">The USD 50 million project aims to increase innovation and productivity in select private sector firms in Kenya </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif">over the next six years (2019-2024).</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0in">KIEP </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif">highlights the </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif">importance of technology and innovation to the development of industries and recognizes the centrality of firm-level support to Kenya’s industrialization. <span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:medium;color:rgb(0,0,0);text-align:justify;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"><span> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:medium;color:rgb(0,0,0);text-align:justify;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif">KIEP will be implemented through the following components:<span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:medium;color:rgb(0,0,0);text-align:justify;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"><span> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:medium;color:rgb(0,0,0);text-align:justify;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif">Component 1: Strengthening the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem <span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:medium;color:rgb(0,0,0);text-align:justify;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"><span> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:medium;color:rgb(0,0,0);text-align:justify;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif">Component 2: SME linkages and upgrading</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0in"><span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:medium;color:rgb(0,0,0);text-align:justify;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0in"><span> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:medium;color:rgb(0,0,0);text-align:justify;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0in">The target beneficiaries are:<span></span></span></p><ul type="disc" style="margin-bottom:0in;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:-webkit-standard;margin-top:0in"><li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif">Accelerators/Incubators<span></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif">Technology Bootcamp Providers<span></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif">Startups<span></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif">SMEs <span></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif">Students <span></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif">Corporates <span></span></span></li></ul><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:medium;color:rgb(0,0,0);text-align:justify;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0in"><span> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:medium;color:rgb(0,0,0);text-align:justify;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0in">The project aims to have a countrywide presence.<span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:medium;color:rgb(0,0,0);text-align:justify;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0in"><span> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:medium;color:rgb(0,0,0);text-align:justify;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0in">Kindly share (inbox) ideas on how best to create interest and demand among the beneficiaries, that will encourage them to apply.<span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:medium;color:rgb(0,0,0);text-align:justify;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0in"><span> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:medium;color:rgb(0,0,0);text-align:justify;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0in">I have attached a fact sheet for more information, which can also be found on <a href="http://www.kiep.go.ke/" style="color:rgb(149,79,114);text-decoration:underline">www.kiep.go.ke</a>.<span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:medium;color:rgb(0,0,0);text-align:justify;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0in"><span> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:medium;color:rgb(0,0,0);text-align:justify;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0in"><span> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:medium;color:rgb(0,0,0);text-align:justify;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0in">Best regards,<span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:medium;color:rgb(0,0,0);text-align:justify;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0in"><span> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:medium;color:rgb(0,0,0);text-align:justify;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:"trebuchet ms",sans-serif;font-size:small">Kentice Tikolo, MScPR, FPRSK</span></p><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif"><b>Strategic PR & Communication Consultant</b></font></div><div><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif"><b style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><br></b></font></div><div><i><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" size="4" color="#ff9900" style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift. Regina Brett</font></i><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif"><b><br></b></font></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>