Konza Technopolis was ranked third in the 2021 International Association of Science Parks (IASP) Inspiring Solutions Program, towards the end of last year.
The program is meant to recognize excellence within science parks and areas of innovation management and give visibility to the best projects and initiatives. IASP, which boasts of 350 members and 115,000 companies in 78 countries internationally, chooses the best top 10 solutions deployed by its members annually
The ten finalists are chosen by an expert panel before IASP members vote for the three winners, who are declared openly at the IASP World Conference.
The Konza Technopolis Development Authority (KoTDA) was acknowledged for founding the Konza Innovation Ecosystem Initiative (KIEI), which is a collaborative effort of the Government, Academia, Private sector, as well as non-state actors to advocate for the Technopolis innovation agenda resulting in the innovation of new enterprises.
A total number of 20 different companies belonging to the youth have been established and are now commercializing courtesy of the KIEI approach. Additionally, 200 children between the age of 9 and 15 years have been educated on innovation while over 1000 youth have been funded to develop new ventures.
KoTDA Chief Executive Officer, Eng. John Tanui – who is also the President of IASP Africa Division, has hailed the Award as a recognition of the KIEI’s role in nurturing an innovation culture in the Kenyan economy, terming it as a game-changer in how the innovation ecosystem works in Kenya.
“This initiative has addressed the gaps that were in the innovation ecosystem by ensuring there is coordination within the innovation ecosystem and providing a program to innovators to channel their ideas and solutions to be able to turn them into start-ups.” Eng. Tanui said.
He added, “Through the program, we’ve got impressive innovations in healthcare, logistics, and quality work. This has created a model we can replicate across Africa and ensure that the partnerships we have established with various stakeholders in the innovation ecosystem continue to grow.”
Eng. Tanui spoke on the sidelines of the IASP’s International Board Meeting which was held in Malaga, Spain. The two-day Board meeting examined the association’s future strategy and outlined the path for IASP to pursue as we adjust to a post-pandemic world.
Where is Konza City Found?
Konza is a small town in Machakos County, in Kenya. It is located 70 kilometers (43 mi) southeast of Nairobi City, the Kenyan capital. Machakos town, the county’s capital, is located 35 kilometers northeast of Konza.
Konza Technopolis is located in the Kimutwa location of the Central Division of Machakos County. Konza is part of Machakos municipality and Machakos Town Constituency.
How Can Konza Technology City Make a Positive Impact in Kenya?
Under the completion of the vertical infrastructure at Konza Technopolis, the Konza Technopolis Development Authority has advertised for investors to show interest in investing in the city. There have been robust discussions about the benefits of the Konza Technopolis to Kenya and the Kenyans. The talk should be motivated because Konza Technopolis is critical to the future of the country. Kenya needs Konza to compete in the region and globally. And to help us become a middle-income country by 2030.
Konza is anticipated as a sustainable, world-class technology hub and a major economic driver for Kenya, with an active blend of businesses, workers, residents, and urban conveniences. In phase 1, which comprises about 400 acres of the whole 5,000-acre site, Konza has asked investors to formally express their plans for a mixed-use community that will encompass commercial, residential, retail, public amenities, and a hotel that could offer 17,000 jobs and housing for 30,000 residents.
By the year 2020, Phase 1 was anticipated to add over KES 90bn to Kenya’s gross domestic product, and or nearly 2% of the country’s GDP. When entirely built out, it was projected that Konza will be a robust city with superb conveniences and world-class infrastructure creating close to 200,000 jobs and over 260,000 residents.
Konza will attract businesses nationally and internationally. It will aid and educate fresh and existing tech entrepreneurs. While Nairobi will remain the creativity and innovation hub, Konza, with its reliable and duplicative infrastructure and connectivity, will facilitate a technology ecosystem. Which will bring together a diverse population to provide solutions to our local problems and hopefully, to global challenges.
For instance, innovative technologies created by research labs and companies in Konza can offer assistance to sectors that already play a crucial role in the Kenyan economy, like Tourism, Agriculture, and Manufacturing. Innovative technologies could be formulated here that support Kenyan farmers, for instance, helping to lessen crop waste and introduce modern and efficient processes to boost farming revenues.
There is no doubt that there are challenges to developing and sustaining new cities as well as technology hubs off central business districts. Helpful planning and intensive collaboration between government, business, and educational institutions are critical to the undertaking. There are many prospering technology hubs of various sizes and scales which have stimulated economic development and are precedents for Konza.
Konza has to mimic successful projects from around the world like Research Triangle Park in North Carolina, USA. Where political, civic leaders, as well as heads of educational institutions, collaborated to plan and execute a 7,000-acre research and technology park in the 1950s. Which currently employs close to 40,000 people, or the Internet City in Dubai which has attracted 4,500 businesses, and employs 20,000 workers.
A large concentration of the private sector tech companies, research facilities, and universities will motivate new investment of venture capital and nurture an incubator for innovation overseeing boosted creativity and risk-taking by entrepreneurs. With the synergy of universities collaborating with technology companies, Kenya will be able to produce tech graduates with the skills the world’s main companies need. The inclusion of higher learning institutions at Konza will guarantee the optimal idea and the availability of a valuable workforce. transference
Konza’s vision is to establish a sustainable ecosystem where development can happen without leaving a negative footprint on the environment. The master plan needs a truly mixed-use, high density, and sustainable community. Energy-saving and green construction techniques will be employed; water will be recycled and treated on-site. A solar farm will also be established to reduce Konza’s stress on the national electric grid. The city is to become a model of how adopting green methods and technology can undervalue energy consumption and lessen carbon emissions.
Facilitating Start-ups and ICT Education
The people who support Konza explain that the techno city will enable innovation and start-ups by hosting various research labs and incubation centers staffed by Kenyan innovators and businessmen. Possible partnerships with local institutes of higher teaching are expected to reinforce ICT education. “Konza Techno City has Science and Technology and BPO Parks where innovators are restrained and incubated to develop their innovations. Konza works with universities and other technical institutions to nurture and harness best skills locally and offer them the necessary environment and facilities to improve their skills,” Adeya explained.
“The city will attract international ICT Firms such as IBM, who have already established a research facility in Kenya. The IBM Research Lab is the first of its kind in Africa. This will facilitate technology transfer to the locals. Konza will also act as an incubation center for young entrepreneurs,” she continued.
However, the IBM Research Lab already caused uproar in Kenya after it appeared that the company, in co-occurrence with Stanford University, had ambitions to staff its Research Lab with people holding postgraduate degrees and boasting of many years of experience. Anger exploded in Kenya when a local newspaper, Business Daily, circulated a memo from IBM to Stanford University advertising for candidates.
Which in addition to hiking educational requirements for potential workers, read: “We are aiming to hire world-class scientific talent with expertise in mobile technologies, statistical analysis, data mining, human-computer interaction and other domains”. Many thought this memo indicated a bias against Kenyan candidates and was disadvantaged by a less-developed higher education system and a lack of experiential opportunities. It is not clear why the situation would be any different in fresh research institutions that began at Konza.
Employment Opportunities
Konza is proclaimed as a way out of poverty and the antidote to the high unemployment rates in Kenya. The tech city pledges the creation of 200,000 new jobs in the ICT sector by 2030. However, as with the IBM Research Lab, it isn’t close to certain that foreign businesses will choose to staff their Konza-based units with Kenyan workers, especially considering Kenya’s admitted lack of highly educated and specifically trained individuals.
Kenya has continually identified the lack of capacity as a significant obstacle to the economy. In 2011, the former Ministry of Information and Communications Kenya ICT Board released its Julisha Monitoring and Evaluation Survey, which indicated that the major complaint of the firms operating in the ICT sector in Kenya was the lack of qualified staff. According to the report, 9,600 new individuals were required to fill ICT sector positions by 2013, with the report concluding that there is simply not an adequately qualified workforce in Kenya to occupy these positions.
One-quarter of respondents to the Julisha Survey said that they were disappointed with the integrity of Kenyan education as encountered through the hiring of Kenyan personnel, while one-third of companies disclosed that, due to the lack of capable people, they fill openings through external sources as opposed to turning to Kenyan universities.
In his inaugural speech, President Uhuru Kenyatta highlighted this drawback in ICT education and training and promised to improve ICT education across Kenya by delivering a laptop per child beginning with class one. “We believe early exposure to technology will inspire future innovation and be a catalyst for growth and prosperity,” the President said.
While the benefits of Konza are clear, the journey will encounter challenges. The Konza Technopolis Development Authority (KoTDA) is set to tackle these challenges with the assistance of the Kenyan government and the private partners, to ensure that Konza stimulates Kenya to middle-income status, and the innovations established at Konza City change the region and the world. Kinza is excited to note the progress that has seen its phase one included in the priority areas.
Estimated at KES. 940 billion projects, Konza Technopolis is obviously capital-intensive. It is truly the manifestation of a large-scale public-private cooperation project that depicts a strategic opportunity to prompt the growth of economic workouts in Kenya with a high economic return rate.
An impressive range of infrastructure investment openings lies therein in categories of Academia and Life Sciences; BPO/ITES; Construction; Energy; Financial Services; Healthcare; Hospitality; Utilities; Manufacturing; Real Estate; Sports and Telecom.
To establish investor confidence and uptake of the private sector, Konza Technopolis Development Authority is eager to open financial instruments like infrastructure bonds, Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), loans, venture capitalists, diaspora funding to drive investment of the Techno City.
A plan to create a new legal framework facilitating a structured, methodical, and staged development of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) financing model for Techno city’s development was put in place.
The creation of an enabling environment served as a catalytic opportunity for American companies to boost economic partnerships and investment in Africa, precisely catering to the African market while being in Africa, as opposed to reaching the African market while in Europe.
Konza Technopolis History
According to the official Konza website, here’s the history of the Technopolis.
Konza Technology City Approved as Kenya’s Vision 2030 Flagship Project
Konza Technology City Approved as Kenya’s Vision 2030 Flagship Project
In 2008, the Government of Kenya approved the creation of Konza
Technology City as a flagship Kenya Vision 2030 project. Vision 2030 aims to create a globally competitive and prosperous nation with a high quality of life 2030. As part of this vision, Konza will be a sustainable, world-class technology hub and major economic driver for Kenya. Konza was initially conceived to capture the growing global Business Processing Outsourcing and Information Technology Enabled Services (BPO/ITES) sectors in Kenya.
BPO/ITES business produced US$110 billion in revenues in 2010. Revenues from this industry are expected to increase three-fold to US$300 billion by 2015. Africa attracts about 1% of the total revenues accruing from this growing industry. Only a few African countries, including South Africa, Egypt, Morocco, Ghana, and Mauritius, have made an effort to develop their BPO/ITES industries. Given the robust tech industry already in Nairobi, Kenya has a unique opportunity to capture a sizable amount of the growing global BPO/ITES industry.
Konza Technopolis Commissioned
In 2009, the Government of Kenya hired the International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank, to advise on the development and implementation of a world-class technology city, which would grow the BPO/ITES and other technology industries in Kenya.
The Government commissioned feasibility studies that demonstrated the viability of Konza, the focus on BPO/ITES, and its potential contributions to local economic development. The studies conducted include a Strategic Environmental and Social Assessment, Legal and Regulatory Due Diligence, and a Demand Assessment. The initial feasibility and concept master plan was prepared by Deloitte and Pell Frischmann, a United Kingdom-based consultancy. Pell Frischmann proposed the establishment of Konza, a technology park with world-class infrastructure that will be sustainable and have inclusive growth as key drivers.
Konza Technopolis initiated
In 2009, The Konza Technology City project was initiated with the procurement of a 5,000-acre parcel of land at Malili Ranch, 60km southeast of Nairobi along Mombasa-Nairobi A109 road. With this, the realization of Africa’s Silicon Savannah officially launched.
Phase 1 Master Plan Developed
In 2012, the Ministry of Information, Communications, and Technology retained a team of consultants led by New York City-based HR&A Advisors, Inc. to prepare a detailed business plan and master plan for Phase 1. The Master Development Partner1 (MDP1) team included SHoP Architects, Dalberg, Centre for Urban and Regional Planning, OZ Architecture, and Tetra Tech. The MDP team held extensive interviews with stakeholders, business leaders, potential investors, and led 5 workshops with government officials over nearly a year to develop a comprehensive plan for Konza.
The first phase of Konza City is expected to create over 20,000 direct and indirect jobs. The city will be developed as a public-private partnership, in which the Government will take a minimal role, in developing the public infrastructure and regulatory guidelines.
Groundbreaking of Konza Technopolis
Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki broke ground in Malili marking the start of the development of Konza Technopolis. The Board of the Konza Technopolis Development Authority (KoTDA) was appointed as a special purpose entity to facilitate the development of Konza Technopolis.
In 2016, the KETRACO substation & ICTA fiber line complete
Anchor tenant signed – KAIST
In 2017, Commitment for Konza Data Center with China Exim bank
Phase 1A and Technology/ University Bands Begins
In 2018, Major Phase 1 Infrastructure Construction Begins
Major Phase 1 Infrastructure Construction Begins
Public facilities: police, fire, schools, and recreation
Major Phase 1 Infrastructure Construction Begins
In 2019, Parcel Leasing Begins
First Konza Complex Building Complete.
Major Phase1 infrastructure begins.
First Konza Technopolis building complete – Konza Complex.
Why invest in Konza?
Konza Technopolis Special Economic Zone depicts a strategic chance to invest in the development of the ICT sector in Kenya and the country’s overall economy. Upon completion, Konza Technopolis will be a world-class technology hub, home to overseeing companies in education, life sciences, telecom, and BPO/ITES.
Commercial areas for these uses will be completed by the diverse residential neighborhoods, hotels, a variety of retail offerings, community facilities, and other public conveniences. Konza Technopolis will be a walkable city, which includes high-quality public spaces, active and varied conveniences, and short walk times between destinations.
Konza Technopolis provides excellent connections within Kenya and the rest of the world via land and air. Konza is located 60 kilometers from Nairobi, Kenya’s capital and largest city. The A109 highway connects Konza to Nairobi, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, and Mombasa, the primary port of entry to East Africa and Kenya’s second-largest city. Konza’s world-class infrastructure, high connectivity, active public realm, and cosmopolitan environment will allow companies to attract top talent and companies to the region.
The Amenities Konza Offers
Two roadways offer access to Konza Technology City. Phase 1 encompasses one interchange with the A109, with two interchanges proposed for future phases. Konza Road runs through the City and gives access to the west side of Konza. Within Konza, a system of attractive, multimodal boulevards provides access to all uses.
Water and Waste Water
Konza Technopolis is devoted to sustainable water use. Konza lays out a water reuse system, which includes a tertiary treatment plant where treated water is utilized for irrigation and cooling. All constructions in Konza are required to incorporate the latest water management systems in their designs. Other water sources include an allocation from the Thwake Dam, presently under development, and on-site groundwater.
On-Site Transit
Konza Technopolis is a walkable, bikeable, and transit-friendly city. A bus transit network offers service along the main east-west axis in Phase 1 and will be broadened in future phases. A transit hub next to the A109 interchange will be the main station for Konza, with the interim capacity to fit bus passengers and future capacity to fit commuter rail service to Nairobi.
Power Supply
Dwellers and businesses found at Konza Technopolis enjoy a steady and credible electrical supply provided by three autonomous power sources. The Technopolis is linked to two independent distribution lines, the first being a 400kV line running 40 kilometers west of Konza and a 132 kV line running adjacent to Konza. On-site solar power production is also under consideration.
Konza Technopolis Special Economic Zone Incentives Communication
The Technopolis’ strategic location allows the city to be quickly linked to all the four underwater fiber optic cables in Kenya. These great capacity lines ensure high connection speeds, enabling companies and dwellers to enjoy the video, data, and voice internet capacities. The city’s special location also guarantees access to any further modifications in Kenya’s fiber-optic infrastructure.
Konza is a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and therefore investors enjoy incentives as stipulated in the SEZ Act of 2015 (www. see authority.go.ke). The Authority is in custody of the following licenses:
- Developer license: KoTDA has been licensed to undertake the development and management of integrated infrastructure facilities including master planning horizontal infrastructure, water, electrical, mechanical, building, ICT and industrial park works under SEZ.
- Operator license: KoTDA has been licensed to undertake the business of management and operation of Konza Technopolis special economic zone which includes: Development control, marketing, tenant, and occupancy facility administration and management of rent/lease collection.
KoTDA will facilitate the issuance of an Enterprise License to prospective firms to conduct activities within the Konza special economic zone.
