Kenya’s ICT Authority has announced they will hold an inaugural ICT Innovation forum, bringing together novel technology-based ideas, solutions and practices on the 2nd -3rd March, 2015 at KICC, Nairobi.
Local channel players including Safaricom, Microsoft, Konza Techno City, and Huawei are sponsoring the event that will be graced by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
The event will bring together ICT innovators, investors, development agencies, academia, multi-nationals and local entrepreneurs.
The ICT Authority is a State Corporation tasked with rationalising and streamlining the management of all Government of Kenya ICT functions. Its broad mandate entails enforcing ICT standards in Government and enhancing the supervision of its electronic communication.
Organised through a consortium of public and private players the event is targeted at discussing specific ‘head-to-head’ challenges facing Kenyan innovators and opportunities. Additionally, the forum will include an ICT Expo where innovators will have a chance to showcase their ICT solutions that are at various levels of development.
Experts have identified intellectual property rights as being central to the development of a new brand: “Made in Kenya, Assembled in Kenya, Sold Around the World”, which has the chance to grow Kenya economy exponentially.
“The Innovation Forum and Expo is a unique opportunity for information sharing and co-operation between the public and private sector on emerging technologies and innovations. While we are all in agreement that tech-enterprises need to work more closely and grow, our aim to make all these great ideas commercially viable,” said Victor Kyalo, Chief Executive officer, ICT Authority.
In line with Kenya’s National ICT Master plan, the Authority in collaboration with the Ministry of ICT seeks to boost opportunities of Kenyan innovators by supporting the growth of locally developed solutions,” added Mr. Kyalo.
An announcement on the ICTA website says that during the 2-day forum, there will be sharing of game-changing innovative ideas among high-level stakeholders within key sectors of the economy such as manufacturing, tourism, financial sector, health, agriculture, education, transport, energy and water.
The announcement also said the forum will aim at creating a consensus around the state of ICT innovation, the prevailing challenges and distilling actionable solutions
The forum is also expected to define next steps on how to unlock value in the ICT innovation space in addition to pooling for the first time innovators that will help to create the next big nation.
Among the key topics t be discussed at the forum are: promoting Buy Kenya IT, build Kenya IT, Unlocking Capital, Talent development and employment, Innovation, Research and Development, growing IT exports and the place of incubation and accelerators in the innovation ecosystem.
The event aligns to the vision 2030 development blue print that identifies ICT as being an enabler of industry and having the opportunity to create wealth and jobs for the country.
