Powering the Future by Driving Clean Energy Solutions
Young innovators and clean energy stakeholders from Eastern Kenya convened at Chuka University for the Kenya Edition 2026 Youth in Clean Energy Entrepreneurship Workshop, organized under the EVI-SICEE project. Held from 8 to 9, 2026, the two-day training provided a dynamic platform for participants to explore innovative solutions, co-create knowledge, and unlock entrepreneurial opportunities within the clean energy sector.
The workshop brought together representatives from research organizations, incubation centers, development partners, government agencies, and entrepreneur champions from Kirinyaga, Embu, Meru, and Tharaka-Nithi counties. Key participating institutions included ACTS, KCIC, YEDF, GAMOS, GIZ, MECS, and Chuka University, reflecting a strong multi-stakeholder commitment to advancing youth-led clean energy initiatives.
Throughout the training, participants engaged in expert-led discussions and presentations covering project objectives, grassroots innovations, field evidence, and incubation programs. The sessions emphasized practical, market-driven clean energy business models, alongside critical areas such as policy and regulatory frameworks, financing mechanisms, business growth strategies, and market adoption, equipping participants with actionable insights.
Delegates from the Youth Enterprise Development Fund Agency and Practical Action Kenya also paid a courtesy call to the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Henry Mutembei, during which potential areas of collaboration were highlighted, including joint research initiatives, proposal development, community outreach, as well as student internship and industrial attachment opportunities.
The workshop also featured pitching sessions where participants presented both incubated and non-incubated business ideas, followed by comprehensive evaluations. The program culminated in the recognition and awarding of outstanding participants, as well as the issuance of certificates, marking the successful conclusion of the training.
By the end of the workshop, participants had refined bankable clean energy business concepts, strengthened their entrepreneurial capabilities, and gained practical insights to drive impactful youth- and women-led clean energy enterprises.
