Nairobi Innovation Challenge

JUDGES

Eunice (Njuguna) Nyandat
Master Judge

"Eunice is the Founder and CMO of My Biz Marketing. She is a Digital Marketing & Advertising Consultant who has worked with a wide variety of local, regional national and international accounts on online advertising, Inbound marketing, and Search Engine marketing. Our culture is a relaxed, creative and collaborative one. Eunice works with companies on business strategy, SEO plans, competitive research, web publishing, content, lead generation & conversions, social media, online public relations, technical optimization, local search, e-commerce and analytics. Eunice is also the Community Organiser for Start-up Weekend Women Edition. Techstars Startup Weekends are 54-hour events designed to provide superior experiential education for technical and non-technical entrepreneurs. Beginning with Friday night pitches and continuing through brainstorming, business plan development, and basic prototype creation, Techstars Startup Weekends culminate in Sunday night demos and presentations. "

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Phyllis Ngigi
JKUAT

"Phyllis Ngigi is an ICT Officer at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology, ICT Directorate, in the Department of ICT- Research, Consultancy and Training where she has worked for 12 years. She is involved in development of curriculum of current ICT trends course contents and assessment of ICT trainings need for both staff and students, ICT policy and regulation, development and implementation. She is also involved in Facilitation and the development of partnerships with individuals and institutions within and outside JKUAT for the purposes of consultancy and development of ICT. She's a graduate of Information Technology, and currently pursuing a MSc. IT at JKUAT with a specialization in Big data & Analytics. She is the founder, JKUAT Women in ICT (WICT), which works towards empowering, mentoring and inspiring girls and youth in matters ICT opportunities and careers. The forum is geared at ensuring there are more women and youth actively participating in matters ICT, tapping the opportunities it has to offer, and seeing to their empowerment to enable the same. Through partnerships with various organizations, we have been able to carry out various activities to create awareness and organize trainings in various counties. ICT is a goldmine and a gateway to the accomplishment of many a development agenda, but one that has not been fully tapped. From the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to the Big 4 Agenda, ICT bears a significant role in their realization. By targeting and empowering women, youth and disadvantaged groups, JKUAT WICT hopes to ensure these significant groups get to exploit the limitless opportunities ICT has to offer. She’s has also been a judge in Riara Intervarsity Innovation competitions and First Lego League Robotics competitions. "

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Alfred Ongere
AI Kenya

Alfred Ongere is an African innovator and technologist who considers himself an impact chaser. He is passionate about using technology to impact people’s lives positively. He is a recent graduate in Telecommunications and Information Engineering from the Multimedia University of Kenya. He founded, and currently leads, Ai Kenya, a community collective of enthusiasts and practitioners in the field of Machine Learning and Data science in East Africa. Alfred believes that Africa, particularly Kenya, shouldn’t be left behind in the advancement of emerging technologies, particularly machine intelligence. He has served as Intel tech community lead for Multimedia University of Kenya, organizing and training events on Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence where he trained over 500 students on Internet of Things prototyping and problem-solving using Intel Architecture as well as over 600 students on Artificial Intelligence fundamentals and held training workshops across universities in Kenya. This brilliant innovator is a product of High Impact Entrepreneurship Training Bootcamp in Boston University , under the TrepCamp Program. Among his top achievements in Ai, Alfred received a honorary mention under the Maathai Impact Award in 2018, which recognizes work by African innovators in the field of machine learning and Artificial intelligence.

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Andrew Gakiria
Tabarin Consulting Limited

Andrew is an experienced practitioner on human capital development matters, focusing on learning and development. He merges an extensive background in technology (and its eﬀective use) with the development of people, bringing a unique strength to the Human Capital Development domain. Andrew is currently a Senior Associate at Tabarin Consulting, a Microsoft Authorised Education Partner and Certiport Authorised Partner. Andrew has also worked as a virtual learning partner at Young African Leaders Initiative.

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Hamza Butt
Chandaria Capital

I am passionate about understanding Africa's innovators. I identify fast-growing businesses that can change the continent and, together with the Chand Cap team, help them grow into globally recognisable businesses. I grew up in Kenya but spent my university years in the UK, where I got a Bachelor’s degree in International Business from the University of Kent, a Master’s degree in International Management from King’s College London, and another Master’s degree in Energy, Trade & Finance from Cass Business School. I have worked in various industries and positions, from healthcare to personal ventures to finance, holding positions such as Head of Operation’s at a chain of hospitals. Now I am an Analyst at one of Kenya’s leading Venture Capital funds. I have therefore built a good understanding on how to build businesses, how to fundraise and how to scale.

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Christine Onyango
STEMTRIX EA LTD

Founder and director of STEMTRIX EA LTD, a company that works with kids between 3-16 years to nurture their talent and sharpen their creativity and curiosity through different research based projects in Robotics and STEM as a whole. She is also the tournament director for the international robotics competitions in East Africa i.e. FIRST LEGO LEAGUE and Jr FIRST LEGO LEAGUE. A graduate from the University of Nairobi, she is the former commercial Manager of Global supply and trading, formerly the local distributor of LEGO and LEGO Education in East Africa. Christine is a certified Robotics trainer in Billund, Denmark with vast knowledge on hands on, minds on teaching methodology in robotics. She is a firm believer that kids are wonderfully created with so much untapped potential and curiosity and therefore wants to engage with them in different areas of their life to optimise their full potential.

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Pascal Aloo
Per Tech Solutions

Pascal is the co-founder at Per Tech Solutions, a software and engineering hardware prototyping firm based in Nairobi Kenya. He is also a co-founder of Simatech Integrated Solutions, an agribusiness and renewable energy firm. Its flagship products, a range of automated vending machines, are transforming how communities access water and other basic commodities such as soap.
Pascal is on the committee of the TechPreneurs Association of Kenya, the body mandated with lobbying for the rights and interests of Tech Entrepreneurs.

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Peter Kamau
Lecturer, JKUAT

Peter Kamau is an android developer at a personal level majoring in UI user interface design, UX user experience and consultation on the same, And at a professional level where I lecture on Java programming , android development and a proud alumni of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.
Peter is also a specialist in robotics where he is working with colleges in Kenya in training them on how to do it. Peter is also the chief executive officer of Tech_elite (At start up level) which currently is working under a different name and currently working on big project that’s about food security in the republic of Kenya. Peter is believes in team work and that when people come together and exchange ideas great things happen.

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Andrew Thinguri
Vana Capital Limited

Andrew Thinguri
CEO, Vana Capital Limited

Andrew is the CEO of Vana Capital Limited, a boutique financial advisory firm. He is a career investment banker with a wealth of experience advising clients in projects in various sectors including Technology, Manufacturing, Power, Oil and gas, Infrastructure, Agro processing, Logistics, Real Estate and Financial services.
Andrew is also a part time lecturer at Oshwal College, lecturing Fixed Income and Portfolio Management courses in the CFA program.
He holds a Masters of Arts in Economics from Kenyatta University and is a CFA® charter holder.

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Dr. Mwanasha Mwamlole
Dentist

Dr. Mwanasha Mwanambeyu Mwamlole is a Dentist, having completed her Bachelor’s of Dental Surgery at the University of Nairobi. She currently runs her own private practice in Jumuia Hospital Huruma but previously served as KMPDU (Kenyan Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union) union rep for Voi for two years where she was the Head of the Dental Department at the Moi Voi County Referral Hospital.
She is an accomplished public speaker, and also serves as the President of Rafiki Toastmasters, a Kenyan chapter of the international communication and leadership organisation, Toastmasters International. She is also a recipient of Toastmasters' prestigious Triple Crown award. She is an avid reader, a professional foodie, an accomplished gourmet, a budding epicure, and an estranged Arsenal supporter. Mwanasha is passionate about affordable universal healthcare, especially dental care and is working towards being a Health Policy Lobbyist.

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Ravi Kumar
Tech Entrepreneur

"Tech Entrepreneur running a software company providing services around niche products in the Customer Relations, eCommerce and performance management domain. I get my kick in designing solution for management needs that range from monitoring efficiency, improving profits, improved collaboration among departments, new channels for customer interaction etc.
Business development, Marketing strategy, hiring & grooming talent, Cash flow management, Project management are my responsibilities in my current role.

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Albert Migowa
Champions For Peace

Albert Migowa, champions for Peace, Intercultural exchange and Sustainable Development through volunteerism. He truly believes that each person has something to bring in the process of sharing, discovering and promoting cultures. He develops and maintains relationships with stakeholders including special interest and community stakeholders for the Regional Consortium of Experts for Development. FOCUS: Sustainability, ICT solutions, professional management and youth/women skills development. He is a member of the National committee on Child Online protection by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK). Additionally, Albert is also the Co- founder of Kenia Voluntary Service organisation (KVSO).He is a certified Social Intrapreneur on Innovation in Health. He is an Emotional Intelligence trainer and coach with STEMTRIX East Africa. He is one of the two moderators on Internet Governance at the Internet Society of Kenya (ISOC-Kenya).He is a mentor, and has mentored more than 100 youth. He is a mentor in the Presidential Digitalent Programme and Emerging Leaders Foundation. He is also a member of the Space Generation Advisory Council. Finally, he is a former Judge at Riara Innovation week 2018.

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Melissa Mwiti
Consultant, Afribusiness

Melissa is an experienced professional with over 12 years’ experience in the financial services and SME sectors. She has worked in partnership with financiers, intermediaries, development organizations and public institutions to explore and develop viable financing options and other capacity building initiatives for the SME sector. Melissa is also keen on research in the entrepreneurship space that will inform and support the creation and growth of stable entreprises in Kenya and the rest of Africa.
Aside from entrepreneurship ‘manenos,’ Melissa values mentoring young women and children, appreciates art and loves to travel when she gets the chance.

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Nils Decker
Founder, Cupcycle

Nils Decker studied Industrial Engineering at the Technical University Berlin and Service Engineering & Management at the University of Porto. Before joining ISC3, Nils worked since 2013 in different positions at United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), lastly as Deputy Coordinator for the organization´s Global Green Chemistry Initiative and Global Chemical Leasing Programme. His work also included a six-month secondment to Lima, Peru, and several working missions to conferences and international meetings relating to sustainable chemistry. Nils is a co-founder of CupCycle, a startup offering individual reusable systems for coffee to go.

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Maria Simiyu
HR Professional

Maria Simiyu has worked in the HR field for over 16 years mainly as a HR generalist in the financial and professional services, telecommunications and aviation sectors. She is passionate about people and strongly believes that each employee has value to offer the organisation and as such should be developed to their highest capabilities and potential. She holds a Masters in Counselling Psychology from USIU-A and a Bachelor of Education degree from Kenyatta University. She is also a member of the Institute of Human Resource Management (IHRM) as well as Toastmasters International. She regularly gives of her time towards mentoring young people and actively participates in this through three organisations – Precious Sisters, Global Give Back Circle and Transmara Youth Initiative.

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Angela Kariuki
HR Professional

Angela is an advocate for entrepreneurship and has been working exclusively in the SME sector over the last few years. Currently at IndigeCap Partners, she assists businesses with growth structuring and investment readiness. She has also worked in business acceleration supporting early stage entrepreneurs with business modelling and building traction. She has additionally worked on business advisory projects providing services across business and financial planning, sales & marketing and supply chain development. Angela has previously also started her own business and provided other small business with both strategic and management support. She further mentors several businesses. Her academic background is in Law, Business and Finance.

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Wilfred Mutua Mworia
Partner at IndigeCap Partners

Wilfred works with Africa's venture builders - entrepreneurs, owner-managers, project developers: crafting & executing winning strategies, connecting them to strategic resources and opportunities, and positioning them for strategic investment with the aim to help them realize their vision & dreams, supercharge growth and amplify socio-economic impact. He is a partner at IndigeCap Partners –www.indigecap.com.

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Ida Ng'ang'a
Director, RCD Africa Corporate Heights

Director of RCD Africa Corporate Heights, Vice Chair of the Kenya Government National Focus Group on SDGs and Member of the Child Online Protection Committee, Ida is also a LEGO First Competition Judge and Start Up Africa Entrepreneurship Adjudicator.
Co-founder of the Internet/STEM4Dev Global Community, she currently leads the 'Internet for Education' conversations globally for the Internet Society.
She has won numerous awards including the African Leadership ‘Outstanding Mentor’ award, the Prolific Woman by Mara Foundation & United Nations award, the Leaders in Kenya Award, the Timeless Woman Governance Award and the Africa Internet of Things Innovators Award.

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TRAINERS

Robert Yawe
ICT Infrastructure Visibility Consultant

Profession: Accountant and Business Administration
Passion: Coaching early stage startups in the LEAN Startup Methodology with an emphasis customer development and business model development
Community Activities: Deputy Chairperson Education Board for Kongoni Primary School a public school / Immediate past Chair of the South C Ward Development Fund
ICT Infrastructure Visibility Consultant/ Instructor on innovation and technology at the Strathmore Institute / Mentor/Coach at the iBizAfrica Incubator

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Melissa Mwiti
Consultant, Afribusiness

Linda Onyango
C.E.O and founder of SME Support Centre Limited

Linda Onyango is the C.E.O and founder of SME Support Centre Limited. Until April 2019, she was also the Associate Partner for East Africa for MN Capital Partners a capital raising firm based in South Africa that supports companies to raise debt and equity capital . Some of the highlights of her experience include:
In 2019, awarded the “most effective local supporter” by Berkeley Middle East Holdings in Dubai, due to her efforts in mobilizing capital into Africa.
In 2018 appointed as an SDG Influencer to represent Kenyan SMEs at first Heads of States Partnership for Green Growth Summit in Copenhagen. In 2017 appointed as an UNLEASH Global SDG Talent Shaper because of her contribution in ensuring the adoption and scale of RE technologies.
Lead SME Advisor, Energy 4 Impact, Climate Innovation Centre. Linda has led the design and implementation of investment readiness programs and business advisory support to over 70 renewable energy and agribusiness entrepreneurs over the last 2.5 years
Strategy and operations consulting manager, KPMG . Through her position, Linda led and facilitated the development of strategic plans and business plans to government and corporate clients mostly in the agriculture sector in East Africa.
Linda started the early years of her career working for PWC and Olympia Capital Holdings where her notable achievements included support in launch of the new PWC Advisory strategy and the successful launch and listing of Olympia in the NSE .

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LEONARD NDAKA NYAMAI
Independent Management Consultant and Trainer

Leonard N. Nyamai is an Independent Management Consultant and Trainer with over 15 years’ experience in both public and private practice. He specializes in organizational & management development and project management. He supports individuals and organizations develop their capacities to foster growth and organizational effectiveness in achieving the business strategy. He brings a wealth of experience training teams as well as facilitating one on one session.
Leonard believes that the nurturing of “soft skills” for individuals working within organizational teams and team development approaches (experiential learning) are a key ingredient in organizations achieving their strategic objectives.
As a Certified Organizational Effectiveness Coach (ICF/CDI Africa), he uses the coaching approach to support individual staff and organizations realize their full potential. He also supports “business startups” through coaching and mentorship.
Leonard is passionate about Team Building/Development as an approach for adult learning and has facilitated for several institutions locally and in the region. Leonard has over 7 years’ experience facilitating team development activities.
He also engages populations at risk and organizations on matters of Sexual Reproductive Health and HIV and AIDS having worked within the health sector for over 7 years.
Leonard is a husband and a father of three, two daughters and a son.
Qualifications & Memberships

• ICF Certified Organizational Effectiveness Coach (COEC) CDI Africa
• B-Tech Engineering Moi University
• Trainer/Facilitator Entrepreneurship program: Sinapis
• Member Professional Trainers of Kenya (PTAK)
• Member Technical Working Group Capacity Building National AIDS Control Council (NACC)

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Integrated Capacity Afrika (I.C.A) Consulting Ltd

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DR. SALOME GUCHU
Acting CEO, Kenya National Innovation Agency (KENIA)

DR. SALOME GUCHU
Acting CEO, Kenya National Innovation Agency

Dr. Salome Guchu is the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya National Innovation Agency (KENIA). She holds a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Nairobi. At KENIA, she coordinates programmes and projects that nurture innovators and strengthen the National Innovation System. In addition, she liaises and negotiates for collaborations and linkages with national, regional and international organizations. Her main interest and experience is in research and innovation policy development and management. She is also passionate about mentoring young people to enable them actively participate in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) courses and careers.

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2019 JUDGES & TRAINERS

JUDGES

TRAINERS