KCA University Research and Innovation Week brought together stakeholders from Ruaraka constituency and beyond, to showcase innovative and entrepreneurship skills and ideas that can solve both local and global challenges faced.
The innovative entrepreneurship ideas at different phases of development were considered by students, start-ups, and medium and large-scale companies from within Ruaraka under the umbrella body of RUBICOM, in collaboration with other stakeholders beyond Ruaraka region.
Ruaraka constituency has a population of 192,620 and covers an area of 7.20 km². There are about 80 companies located in Ruaraka, with a varied group of large and medium-sized manufacturing companies, out of which 35 companies make up the main manufacturing companies in the area.
The high number of industries in the area brings with it lots of micro and macro-economic benefits for the area including experience to mentor start-ups. However, the high number is also a catalyst to the environmental degradation concerns as identified by vision 2030 and the global SDGs.
The KCA University Research and Innovation week had specific objectives which included
Some of the key events and activities during the research and innovation week involved policy dialogue where discussions covered Fintech on mobile computing, IT Security, social entrepreneurship, creative innovation, and urban regeneration among other topical areas.
The university also engaged in outreach and entrepreneurship programmes where calls were made to various categories of stakeholders to participate in the submission of entrepreneurship and innovation projects. The University also conducted business incubation training programmes for youth and women groups in Ruaraka.
A team comprising of lecturers and students visited the Neema abattoir in Ruaraka on a fact-finding mission to find ways of empowering the community living around the place using the organic manure and other solid waste discharged from the abattoir. The university will work with the abattoir management in this venture.
Our students also participated in Hackathon activities which included cyber security and allied (offensive and defensive), software development workshops and an award ceremony to price winning innovative ideas and entrepreneurship champions.
The success of KCA University Research and Innovation week was necessitated by the support and participation of the university stakeholders including SME Founder Association, the Youth Enterprise Development Fund, Supa Loaf, Ronald and Associates and over 100 firms under the umbrella body of Ruaraka Business Community (RUBICOM), and Microsoft Learn, Moringa School and Cytonn Technologies who sponsored the hackathons.