Estonia enables opportunities for growth in Kenya’s clean tech sector

Cleantech Estonia has launched the Estonian-Kenyan Twin Transition Ecosystem Development project. The project aims to harness Estonia’s green innovation and digital development expertise in order to create a foundation for Kenya’s digital and green transitions.

The overall goal of this project is to foster interaction and create long-term communication links between the Estonian and Kenyan cleantech ecosystems. This will be achieved by strengthening Kenya’s network of digital development partners and making the exchange of information between Kenya and Estonia—and within Kenya’s own network—more systematic.

In the past, Kenya looked to clean tech solutions to mitigate climate change, but now their focus has shifted to finding solutions to help the country adapt to climate change. Even so, Kenya has set ambitious climate and sustainability goals, including a plan for transitioning to 100% renewable energy sources by 2030. Kenya’s two most prominent sectors—the agriculture and food industries—are where they hope to implement new clean tech solutions.

“Kenya Climate Innovation Center supports Kenyan entrepreneurs and businesses as they address climate change. This project will help us gain a better understanding of the current state of the clean technology sector in Kenya and find opportunities—as well as challenges—and ways to overcome them,” said project partner Ernest Chitechi from the Kenya Climate Innovation Center. “We’re thrilled about the opportunity to learn from the Estonian ecosystem and see the potential for long-term collaboration.”

Cleantech Estonia’s CEO Kädi Ristkok believes the project is also important to Estonian clean tech startups. According to Ristok, “The goal is to map not only the current state of the Kenyan ecosystem of clean digital technologies but also opportunities for Estonian companies in the market. Through this, we hope to contribute to the export of Estonian companies’ products and services to Africa.”

The implementation of the Estonian-Kenyan Twin Transition Ecosystem Development project is supported by the Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV). Kristel Rillo, Adviser for Innovation and Entrpreneurship at ESTDEV, said “Supporting the implementation of the green transition is a priority in Estonian development cooperation. We are thrilled that Cleantech Estonia has made a plan to contribute to this goal together with its Kenyan partners. An important part of the partnership between Estonia and Kenya is not only the sharing of Estonia’s experience in green innovation and the digital economy, but certainly also the creation of new opportunities and knowledge within these fields.”

The project “Estonia-Kenya Twin Transition Ecosystem Building” was awarded funding during ESTDEV’s call for proposals for the African region. The aim of the call was to support the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDGs) focusing on education, entrepreneurship and innovation in Kenya, Namibia, Uganda and Botswana.