By Ernest Chitechi, Kenya Climate Innovation Center (KCIC)

Transforming Climate Innovation Ecosystems through Inclusive Transdisciplinarity (TransCIIT) project

Innovation is the engine for economic development, and jobs creations, and helps to combat climate change. Climate change presents immense challenges to developing countries, Kenya included but also tremendous opportunities. With many climate enterprises already scaling up with the help of incubators and accelerators, a key next step involves identifying the most promising ones and helping them accelerate their growth, create more jobs, and possibly export products or services with support from institutions of higher learning.

Kenya Climate Innovation Center (KCIC) is therefore highly supportive of efforts by transforming climate innovation ecosystems through the inclusive transdisciplinarity (TranCIIT) project which looks at understanding what role universities could play in establishing strong relations in the Climate Innovation Ecosystem.

Partnerships between academia and industry are not a new thing. Although their profile has grown in recent years. For the past few decades, more organizations are turning to universities for early-stage research. One of the biggest obstacles is the limited time and resources academics and industry professionals have to connect with one another. Without university-industry matchmaking, finding and building connections requires massive amounts of engagement from both parties.

The TranCIIT project began by investigating how to establish stronger relations between the full range of actors in Kenya's climate innovation ecosystem (CIE). This rested on the premise that Kenya’s climate Innovation Ecosystem faces systemic challenges. Entrepreneurs particularly youth and women running micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) were found to be lacking enabling policies, and have poor access to knowledge, expertise, skills, information, and innovation-supportive infrastructure.

KCIC which supports the growth and development of innovative sustainable business models and technologies for sustainable economic growth and employment creation in Kenya was tasked with the responsibility of identifying entrepreneurs who would then be matched with university students.  The survey involved the development of a questionnaire that was shared with 12 enterprises shortlisted by KCIC. The questionnaire sort to identify the business and or technical challenges and or needs faced by the entrepreneur. The entrepreneur was to describe the problem in detail to enable the partners to identify a suitable master's student to meet the identified need.

Out of the twelve entrepreneurs shortlisted 10 were able to submit the questionnaire although one was not matched because their biggest need was financing which was not part of the project components. Our goal of the survey was to help to identify business or technical needs faced by entrepreneurs and match them with a better-skilled master's student to lead transformational change in the business operating environment.

Some of the enterprises that submitted the questionnaires included;

Cellubioclag Distillers Ltd is a venture engaged in producing Bioethanol from a wild cellulosic perennial plant feedstock. The entrepreneur wanted to understand the entrepreneurial development and industrialization of wild cellulosic and how this will significantly increase the uptake of clean cooking alternatives while demonstrating the value of the plant in the restoration of degraded and marginal lands unsuited to food crops. The company was seeking an expert in bioethanol fuel production who could assist with refining the production method. 

Impact Botanics Africa Ltd offers over twenty-three organic products divided into nutritional, personal care, and herbal teas and spices. These products include Honey, Chia seeds, Flax seeds, Baobab fruit powder, Pumpkin seed flour, Stevia, Himalayan salt, Hibiscus tea, Moringa, Purple tea, Chamomile tea, Ginger, Lemon grass, Shea butter, Coconut oil, Avocado oil, Baobab oil and Moringa oil among others. The company deals with communities in the ASAL areas providing them with an alternative economic activity by harvesting baobab seeds, farming of Moringa trees and other drought-tolerant crops, and promoting climate adaptation, the products are sold majorly to health-conscious customers who are looking to promote healthy living. The firm was in need of branding, packaging, social media content creation and management, and e-commerce.

Rucos Kenya is a sole proprietorship business that offers farmers farm inputs such as sunflower seeds with an aim of aggregating and adding value to this product. The company has contracted a pool of 200 farmers who plant the sunflower and bring the harvest to the company thereafter the company produces sunflower seedcake and extracts cold pressed sunflower oil which they now sell to the local community The Company was looking to diversify their products to the neighboring counties and the export market as they look to capitalize on their product offering. The company was seeking support to develop a workable input distribution strategy that can enable the company to reach more farmers and support the smallholder farmers to produce more through Good Agricultural Practises.

Pinekazi limited is a waste management company that utilizes pineapple waste and value add the waste into affordable footwear for the export market, the company has a working agreement with Delmonte company limited who provide the waste, and the company has already developed a final product for mass production and is in the process of fundraising to set up a factory for commercialization for production of the minimum viable product. The company was seeking support for business development services to help the company develop a business development strategy.

Lake Basin Agrottech has developed Biofert, an organic fertilizer, developed through the process of vermicomposting and biochar from rice straws and rice husks. Biofert is rich in carbon and micro-nutrients that are required by rice and other crops, it also helps in managing rice wastes hence protecting the environment. It has shown signs of improving soil structure and fertility. The organization needed support in the development of the business model for the company, product branding and setting up and managing social media platforms and enhancing its web presence.

Kibuye Market Waste Management is a community-based organization producing organic fertilizer, for soil fertility improvement to enhance food security. The product offers retention and improvement of soil fertility, the product is aimed at replacing chemical fertilizers because it is less harmful to the environment and human health aiming at sustainable food security. The company was asking for assistance in the development of a marketing plan and product branding as also set up of social media marking platforms.

Fibertext Green Paper Limited has developed a biodegradable packaging material made from banana fibers. The product is naturally water resistant, fire resistance, and UV resistance. The products are also non-permeable and will not transmit grease, oils, solvents or moisture, even at low thickness. They were seeking expertise in social media and website development to enhance brand visibility.

Gare Holdings are developing organic fertilizer they were seeking support in the development of the Mobile App and SSD Code.

Some of these challenges identified threaten the potential to scale some of the climate innovations for the benefit of Kenyans.