The Kenya National Innovation Agency (KeNIA) is calling on nominations for the National Innovation Awards (NIA). The awards aim to recognize and honour Kenya’s leading innovators with remarkable achievements in diverse fields.
The award consists of three categories including the Big 4 Innovation Award, Assistive Technology Award, and the Government Agency Innovation Award.
- The Big 4 innovation Award: seeks to recognize, and award outstanding innovations within the Big 4 Agenda of universal healthcare, affordable housing, food security, and manufacturing.
- The Assistive Technology Award: aims to recognize and award innovations that are assistive and adaptive for people living with disabilities or the elderly population.
- The Government Agency Innovation Award: aims to recognize Government agencies that have adjusted to technological changes and have gone above and beyond in spurring innovation in the country.
The award whose purpose is to stimulate and encourage innovation in the national priority areas will play a critical role in strengthening the National innovative capacity through motivation, recognition, and support of innovators.
Submission of nominations closes on 15th October, 2021 after which shortlisting and selection will follow. The exercise will culminate at the Kenya Innovation Week (KIW) Awards Gala slated for 8th December, 2021. Selected innovators will pitch during the week to an audience of investors, potential partners and customers.
Eligibility for nomination
For both the Big 4 Innovation Award and Assistive Technology Award
1. The innovator or founder MUST be a Kenyan citizen.
2. The innovation MUST be registered in Kenya.
3. The innovation MUST have been in operation for at least one year.
4. The innovation should NOT have received an award from NIA before.
5. The innovation should have a demonstrable product or service with an existing market.
6. The innovation should have a profile available online with appropriate information.
7. The innovation should have an active and permanent team of two or more members.
For the Government Agency Innovation Award
1. The agency MUST have impactful programs and initiatives that address existing social issues in line with the SDGs or programs and initiatives that support innovators.
2. The agency should have the ability to display a collaborative framework with the public and industry experts.
3. The agency should have the ability to demonstrate uptake of innovation within the organization.
4. The agency MUST have at least developed or are in the process of developing an evidence-based approach to governance.
5. The agency MUST have established an innovative process or implemented new approaches to carry out initiatives that better serve the needs of the country.
6. The agency should have a profile available online with appropriate information on its various activities and initiatives.
Members of the Public are encouraged to nominate an innovation and or a Government Agency by creating a profile at nia.innovationagency.go.ke