UoN Graduates 40 through its Youth Entrepreneurship Incubation Hub

A group photo of young entrepreneurs from the University of Nairobi during graduation.

The University of Nairobi (UoN) has graduated 40 young entrepreneurs who completed an eight-day Business Incubation Programme aimed at strengthening their capacity to develop viable enterprises, create value and contribute to employment and economic growth.

The Programme, which concluded on August 18, 2026, brought together youth entrepreneurs drawn from different faculties and departments of the University and combined entrepreneurship training with practical product development, industry exposure, mentorship and access to enterprise support networks.

Implemented by African Women Studies Centre (AWSC) in collaboration with the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences, the Department of Environmental and Biosystems Engineering, the Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Technology, and Equity Group, the Programme sought to bridge the gap between entrepreneurship theory and practical enterprise development.

Moving entrepreneurship from theory to implementation

The eight-day programme placed emphasis on solving real-world problems and creating value through enterprise. Participants worked through the stages of developing and refining their business ideas, beginning with a “My 90 Venture in 90 Seconds” pitch and progressing through design thinking, value proposition development, product development, industry experience, pitch deck preparation, financing and product pricing.

The approach enabled the entrepreneurs to test their ideas, receive feedback and strengthen their business models with guidance from mentors, peers and industry practitioners.

Speaking during the graduation ceremony, Prof. Wagacha Maina, Director, Innovations and Intellectual Property Management at the University of Nairobi, emphasised the importance of making entrepreneurship education more solution-oriented and strengthening collaboration between universities and industry.

“We learn from books, but we have gone beyond academic work to real implementation.”

Prof. Maina noted that developing solutions and creating value had been central to the Incubation Programme.

The Programme also provided participants with practical exposure to enterprise development beyond the classroom. During two days of industry engagement, the entrepreneurs participated in hands-on activities related to their areas of interest, including food production, beauty, fashion, nail technology, product development and technology.

The exposure gave participants an opportunity to understand production processes, product quality, value addition and the practical considerations involved in taking an idea towards the market.

Building enterprises that create value

The graduating entrepreneurs were challenged to look beyond establishing businesses for personal income and consider how their enterprises could create opportunities for others.

They were also encouraged to closely monitor production costs, improve efficiency and continuously refine their products to strengthen their competitiveness.

“The greater measure of entrepreneurship success is not just the wealth you create for yourself, but the wealth you create for others,” said Joseph Kimotho, Associate Director, Enterprise Development and Financial Inclusion at Equity Group Foundation.

Mr. Kimotho stated that the Foundation was prepared to connect the entrepreneurs to a wider network of entrepreneurs and ecosystem actors beyond Equity, providing opportunities for continued learning, collaboration and enterprise development.

“We are ready to link you with entrepreneurs, not only at Equity, but across the wider ecosystem.”

Equity Foundation also committed to dedicating a resource person to support the graduating cohort and expressed interest in developing a strategic partnership with the University of Nairobi to support entrepreneurship and innovation over the long term.

Kimotho said stronger collaboration between the University, Equity Foundation and other ecosystem partners could contribute to the development of an innovation hub and create more opportunities for young entrepreneurs.

Strengthening university-industry collaboration

The Programme demonstrated the value of connecting academic knowledge with practical enterprise development. Participants received information and guidance from enterprise-support institutions, including Kenya Industrial Estates and the Micro and Small Enterprises Authority, broadening their understanding of business support services available to entrepreneurs.

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Finance, Planning and Development, Prof. Josiah Aduda, who presided over the graduation ceremony, described the Programme as strategically important in responding to the employment challenges facing university graduates.

The University graduates more than 10,000 students annually, he noted, making initiatives that provide alternative pathways to employment and enterprise development particularly important. “Every year, the University graduates over 10,000 students. This programme provides an economic opportunity and, with the support of ecosystem partners such as Equity, we can reduce youth unemployment, create more jobs and contribute to economic growth.”

The Programme therefore positions entrepreneurship not only as an alternative to formal employment but also as a pathway through which young people can become employers and contribute to wider economic activity.

From ideas to sustainable enterprises

For the entrepreneurs, the Incubation Programme provided an opportunity to move beyond having business ideas to interrogating their feasibility, developing products and considering the requirements for taking them to market.

The combination of mentorship, peer feedback and industry exposure helped participants build confidence while testing and refining their ideas. They were also exposed to the importance of understanding their customers, determining appropriate pricing, managing production costs and identifying the technical and institutional support required to sustain an enterprise.

The completion of the eight-day programme marks an important stage in the entrepreneurs’ incubation journey, rather than the end of enterprise development support. Continued mentorship, industry linkages, access to networks and engagement with ecosystem partners will be important in helping the entrepreneurs translate the skills and knowledge acquired into sustainable businesses.

The University of Nairobi will continue to strengthen partnerships with industry and enterprise-support organisations to expand opportunities for young entrepreneurs to access technical expertise, markets, financing and networks.

The initiative forms part of the University's broader commitment to strengthening innovation, entrepreneurship and enterprise development and creating practical pathways through which knowledge and ideas can contribute to employment creation and economic growth.