Kenya’s position as a leading innovation hub was reinforced Friday as Konza Technopolis hosted the first-ever IPDAYS forum in Nairobi, bringing together startups, investors, and policymakers from Tunisia, Egypt, and Kenya to drive cross-border collaboration.
The IPDAYS Nairobi x Silicon Savannah Startup Fair 2026, held in partnership with RedStart Tunisie, Seketak, Fie Labs, and GAK Advisory, marked a milestone in Kenya’s ambition to serve as a gateway for North African startups expanding into Sub-Saharan Africa.
The forum featured matchmaking sessions, investor pitches, policy briefings, and training workshops, designed to accelerate market entry and strengthen innovation partnerships across Africa.
Konza Technopolis CEO John Paul Okwiri emphasized the importance of collaboration in building Africa’s digital future saying, “This occasion is more than a gathering; it is a statement of intent that Africa’s digital future will be built through collaboration, innovation, and partnerships. Innovation must be protected, commercialized, financed and supported through skills development if Africa’s startup ecosystem is to thrive.”
A major highlight was the signing of a collaboration agreement between Konza Technopolis, RedStart Tunisie, and Seketak Solutions to formalize cooperation on startup exchange programs, joint acceleration initiatives, and ecosystem development.
Douja Gharbi, CEO of RedStart Tunisie noted, “We return to Kenya to deepen collaboration, align roadmaps and create scalable pathways that support startup growth across borders.”
The event comes just a day after President William Ruto assented to the Technopolis Bill, 2024, establishing a legal framework for technopolises across Kenya. The legislation is expected to attract technology-driven enterprises, streamline governance, and further position Kenya as a regional innovation hub.
Discussions at the forum focused on market entry strategies, financing cross-border expansion, and policy alignment under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which seeks to create a single African market for goods, services, and digital trade.
Konza Technopolis is leveraging Kenya’s strong digital infrastructure, progressive policy environment, and strategic location to support the expansion of North African startups into East Africa and beyond.
