GIZ Seeks Consortium To Establish A Green Digital Innovation Hub In Kenya

By Wallace Mawire

The GIZ Digital Transformation Centre (DTC) Kenya, in collaboration with the GFA Group, is seeking for  proposals to establish and operate a Green Digital Innovation Hub (gDIH) in Kenya.

According to Sylvia Mukasa, Digital Innovation Hub Expert, GIZ-DTC-SKIIVE Project, the gDIH aims to support the country's digital transformation while promoting sustainable development, circular economy, environmental protection and climate change mitigation.

She said that with a focus on “Human-Centred Digitalisation”, the Digital Transformation Centre’s technical assistance supports a digital transition that serves people’s needs and protects their rights.

Under the Strengthening intermediaries of the Kenyan digital innovation ecosystem (SKIIVE) Project, the consortium seeks to enhance the structural capacities of technology and innovation hubs, entrepreneurship and SME support organizations, universities, research and technology organizations, start-up and SME associations.

The goal is to strengthen digital and entrepreneurial skills of SMEs and startups, enabling them to leverage the digital transformation for growth and success.

The gDIH will offer a comprehensive range of services to MSMEs, including access to finance, innovation and ecosystem development, testing facilities, and skills development and training. It will provide tools, skills, and networks necessary for MSMEs to thrive in the digital economy while promoting environmentally sustainable business practices. The hub will be located in Nairobi but will be accessible to MSMEs across Kenya through digital technologies.

Mukasa said that applicants must meet specific eligibility criteria, including being registered entities under the laws of Kenya, demonstrating the ability to address the four key pillars of the gDIH (Skills and Training, Innovation and Ecosystem Building, Test Before Invest, and Access to Finance), and showcasing experience and expertise in the focus sectors of Agriculture, ICT, and Energy, as well as the technological sectors of Automation (AI, IoT/Sensor Networks), Cyber/IT Security, and Cloud Computing.

It is also added that interested consortia are invited to submit their proposals online via email to skiive@gfa-group.de.

The proposals should be submitted in English and should not exceed 20 pages. The deadline for submission is June 16, 2023. The proposal should include a detailed description of the gDIH, its governance structure, objectives, services, target beneficiaries, and expected outcomes. The consortium's composition, roles and responsibilities of each partner, relevant experience, and expertise in the green tech sector should also be outlined. A work plan, budget, and a description of key stakeholders and their engagement plan must be included.

A selection process will be conducted by an independent jury composed of experts from relevant fields. Proposals will be evaluated based on criteria such as track record, infrastructure and networks, alignment with government strategies, diversity of expertise, sectoral and technological focus, financial capacity, and vision and goals. Shortlisted consortia will undergo due diligence, and the final selection will be announced by June 26, 2023.

The Digital Transformation Center (DTC) Kenya is a flagship of the Team Europe Initiative on Human Centred digitalization co-financed by Germany and the EU, implemented by GIZ and EstDev.

It has been established to support Kenya's digital transition towards a sustainable and human-centred digital economy and society.

The goal of the DTC, on the one hand, is to strengthen the country’s digital economy. It does so by supporting the local digital innovation ecosystem, (up)skilling a tech savvy workforce, assisting SMEs in their digital transformation, fostering data-sharing for value creation, and working towards decent job creation in the gig economy.

On the other hand, the DTC seeks to strengthen an open and inclusive digital society. In this realm, it explores how emerging technologies like AI can be used for socioeconomic benefit, builds capacities on data privacy to increase consumer trust in digital products and services and works on digitizing public service delivery in a user-centric way.

GFA, with its headquarters in Hamburg, is a global player in development cooperation. Since 1982 GFA has implemented complex studies and projects in over 130 countries. Today GFA Group employs about 1,460 staff with an annual group turnover about € 153 million (2021).

The company’s international recognition as a dependable partner is incorporated in a set of values which focuses on excellence, innovation, responsibility, integrity, and a focus on its human resources.