This publication highlights the role played by innovation hubs in supporting innovators and start-ups in Kenya. It documents views and insights from managers of selected innovation hubs in the country and how they are driving the ecosystem. It brings out their challenges, struggles, successes and opportunities on one hand, and how they fit into the ecosystem jig-saw puzzle on the other.

Based on the views from managers of innovation hubs, it is apparent that these spaces play a pivotal role in the rising tide of innovations and start-ups in Kenya, whose highest watermark was reached when the country’s start- ups raised USD 375 million seed funding in 2021.

An innovation hub is defined as a physical space that brings together researchers, creators and innovators to nurture ideas into industry-changing products and services, by helping develop entrepreneurial and especially tech communities, inspire and build skills and networks among potential young entrepreneurs. Also included in this document are co-working spaces, maker-spaces and innovation labs.

Whereas the innovation hubs that form the basis of this publication were randomly selected, their views - more or less – reflect their critical role in supporting innovators and start-ups. Although the views may not be exhaustive, they provide a fairly good picture of how hubs are driving the start-up ecosytem in Kenya and the impact they are having.