Eldoret Set to Host 4th City Innovation Week, Targeting 2,500+ Youth in Push for Inclusive Growth in the North Rift

"Innovating the North Rift: Driving Inclusive Growth Through Technology, Enterprise & Sustainability"

Eldoret City will once again take centre stage as the home of innovation in the North Rift when it hosts the 4th Eldoret City Innovation Week 2026 on Friday, 9th October 2026 at Rupas Grounds. The event, now in its fourth edition, brings together universities, TVET institutions, researchers, entrepreneurs, innovators, investors, development partners, county and national  government leaders, and industry players to advance inclusive economic and social development across the region.

A GROWING PLATFORM FOR THE NORTH RIFT

Speaking during a media breakfast held ahead of the launch, the Chairperson of the Organizing Committee, Douglas Maina, said the Innovation Week has grown steadily since its founding to become one of the region's most anticipated platforms for enterprise, technology and youth development.

"Every year, the Eldoret City Innovation Week has grown from a conversation into a movement. 

This year, under the theme 'Innovating the North Rift: Driving Inclusive Growth Through 

Technology, Enterprise & Sustainability', we are deliberately widening the table — for young people, for investors, for county and national government, and for every partner who believes that the North Rift's next generation of jobs and businesses will be built right here at home," Mr Maina said.

THE YOUTH DOME: A NEW CENTREPIECE FOR 2026

New this year is The Youth Dome, a dedicated space focused on creative economy, youth talent and mentorship. The Organizing Committee says the initiative is central to this year's most ambitious goal yet: to directly reach and engage more than 2,500 young people from Eldoret and the wider North Rift region.

The Youth Dome will host mentorship sessions, skills masterclasses, career and enterprise clinics, and talent and pitch showcases, designed to connect young people with practical skills, role models and opportunities within the region's growing innovation ecosystem.

VOICES FROM THE INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM

This year's edition brings together a cross-section of speakers and guests drawn from technology, agriculture, health, finance, education and public service, including:

• Mary Kerema, OGW — Chief Guest, Secretary for ICT, E-Government and the Digital  Economy

• Moses Ochieng Opiyo — CEO, Investa Farm (agri-fintech and smallholder farmer financing)

• Nicholus Kimali Muthoka — CEO, Ubuntu Waterhub Africa (IoT-powered water access 

solutions)

• Caleb Jephuneh — Founder & CEO, Therabot (AI-powered mental health support)

• Fidelis Kemboi — Health Systems Specialist, DIMP Telemedicine

• Dr. George Ariya, PhD — Head, Business Development Services, Agri-food Incubation and 

Mentorship Hub (AIM Hub), University of Eldoret. 

• Allan Rop — Founder & CEO, The Cube Innovation Hub, and Director & Head of IT & 

Innovation, Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry

• Cliffton Nyakundi — Regional Manager, Sub-Saharan Africa, EF Hult Prize

• Hon. Robert Kemei, CEC Innovation, and Lucy Njoroge, CEC Education — county government leadership.

• Representatives of DigiSkool, Koshin Technical Training Institute, and investor partners 

including Sandra Boinet and Collins Boinet

A CALL TO ACTION FOR PARTNERS AND THE PUBLIC

Organizers say reaching the 2,500-youth target will depend on collective effort. "We are not 

asking partners and the public to only attend — we are asking them to help us multiply this 

reach," Mr Maina said, outlining specific ways stakeholders can contribute:

• Mobilisation — helping reach young people through schools, colleges, associations and 

networks across the North Rift

• Resourcing — supporting specific Youth Dome activities such as masterclasses, transport for 

youth groups, and prizes for talent showcases

• Expertise — volunteering as mentors, judges and facilitators for Youth Dome sessions

• Media and public support — amplifying the event's reach before, during and after the 

Innovation Week

• Opportunity — offering internships, apprenticeships or market linkages to youth identified  during the event

LOOKING AHEAD

The Organizing Committee says the 4th Eldoret City Innovation Week is ultimately about proving that inclusive growth in the North Rift is achievable when technology, enterprise and sustainability are pursued together, with young people at the centre.

"Our promise to Eldoret and the North Rift is simple: Imagine, Create, Deliver. This year, we  deliver at scale," Mr Maina added.

EVENT AT A GLANCE

Event: 4th Eldoret City Innovation Week 2026

Date: Friday, 9th October 2026

Venue: Rupas Grounds, Eldoret City

Theme: "Innovating the North Rift: Driving Inclusive Growth Through Technology, Enterprise & Sustainability"

Target audience: 2,500+ youth, alongside universities, TVET institutions, entrepreneurs, investors, development partners and government Key feature: The Youth Dome — mentorship, skills masterclasses, enterprise clinics and talent showcases