Top 6 Entrepreneur Hubs In Kenya
New businesses and ventures are coming up on a daily basis, but the death rate is also an issue of concern. According to a survey conducted Harvard Business Review, more than 30% of new businesses fail in their first year of operation. 50% of new businesses as well do not see their fifth anniversary. About 70% cease to operate before their 15th birthday.
Some of the reasons that make such businesses fail is lack of support. When most people hear of support, finances always comes to their minds. Even though finances are important, mentorship and connections are also crucial in the entrepreneurial journey. Business incubators come in handy when it comes to supporting young ventures. Luckily in Kenya, we have several of them that have helped various dreamers to become business owners. The following is a list of a few of them.
1. NaiLab
If you are a techie, then this is the hub you should be looking for. This business incubator offers an entrepreneurship program that focuses on growing innovative and creative technology-driven ideas. This hub provides business advice, technical support & training, professional coaching and mentoring. NaiLab also gives access to the market and fosters strategic partnerships that link buyers and sellers.
2. Chandaria Business Innovation and Incubation Centre
The unemployment rate has always been a problem in Africa because most schools produce job seekers rather than job creators. This hub seeks to help students with ambitious business ideas realize their dreams. Founded in 2013, this hub offers 70% of their slots to Kenyatta University students while the rest goes to students from all over the country.
This incubator was founded as The Hub East Africa but later rebranded to have a wider scope. It is among the earliest hubs in East Africa and takes a contemporary approach to business mentoring. It features program for startups and businesses that want to scale their activities. You get workshops and personal coaching sessions from experts to help wade through the startup stage.
4. iHub
This techie incubator was founded in 2010 and has partnered with big names in the technology space. It offers an open platform for technology companies, investors, and techies. The facility brings together researchers, mobile apps developers and programmers, entrepreneurs and tech designers. It also features a co-working space that helps bring various players together.
This hub was started by a group of Kenyans residing in the United States. Their main goal is to provide opportunities for the youths to earn a living. Their website states that they seek to create and support Africa’s entrepreneurs, inventors, and future business leaders. Their program offers training, incubation, connections and mentoring to aspiring entrepreneurs.
6. GrowthAfrica
This hub seeks to transform Africa both socially and economically. It is a meeting platform for investors and entrepreneurs, and some notable brands have made connections from this spot. An entrepreneur gets various programs such as business planning & development, mentoring, financial modeling, peer & industry network and leadership training. Their website has an easy menu where you can narrow down based on your sectors such as agribusiness, technology, healthcare and the like.
Some of these hubs are free to join while others require some commitment fee. Make sure you browse through their blogs and websites and see what they have to offer. Compare their programs to land at the one that suits you best.
