The issue of high unemployment among the youth in Kenya can only be sorted out if the country is able to create jobs at a faster rate than the population growth. To do this the country needs to develop a culture of entrepreneurship. That means having more people in Kenya starting their own businesses. The government also to needs to make it easier people to start businesses and then create a conducive environment that allow SMEs to grow. The more the SMEs expands the better the overall outlook of the Kenyan economy but the question is, as a people do we have the will to create innovative startups?
Sam Gichuru, is the co-founder and CEO of Nailab, one of Kenya’s leading tech incubators. Sam has been a strong proponent on the value of mentorship and apprenticeship of young entrepreneurs viewing these entrepreneurs as a critical interface between job creation and poverty eradication among the youth. A serial entrepreneur himself, he is an angel investor in several promising startups. Currently in his mid thirties, Sam’s humble beginnings in Rongai, starting with odd jobs like a sewer attendant and later roles at Sahannet Limited, Wananchi Online and Insight Technologies.
His venture Nailab has incubated over 30 entrepreneurs in the last 4 years since its inception in 2010 with over 45% percent of the enterprises currently still running successfully and majority making monthly turnovers of over Ksh 400,000.
On Thursday 25th June from 2pm to 5pm we will have a Twitter chat with Sam Gichuru on entrepreneurship in Kenya. Join us via the hashtag #HapaChat to follow the conversation.