The Kenya startup ecosystem is often described as a one of the hottes in Africa, alongside South Africa, Nigeria and Ghana. Its mobile money system, known as MPesa, is praised, copied, lauded, but it’s not the only feature of its startup scene. How this West Africa country has built its tech hub? Who are the key players in the communities and the government trying to foster entrepreneurship and innovation?
We went to Nairobi to find out, and attended Afrikoin, a conference dedicated to mobile money, we’ve met the top startups connecting mobile money to shopping, remittances, and more.
Innovation is everywhere – Kenya Innovation Ecosystem and Startup Scene from Innovation is Everywhere
In this report you will find:
- A short history of the Kenya startup ecosystem, in particular how the election crisis of 2008 triggered the creation of startup Ushahidi, which in turn triggered the birth of a community-driven startup scene
- Stats and facts which explain the domination of MPesa, the mobile money, in a very social culture
- The vision of Kenya for the future, with incentives and projects to make it the tech hub for Africa