Kenya seems to be on a winning spree after yet another teacher won a coveted global award.
Thika-based Mount Kenya University lecturer Donatus Njoroge on Wednesday won the Global Innovations through Science and Technology Initiative (GIST) Tech-I competition Startup Phase by the US State Department’s at the Global Entrepreneurship Congress in Bahrain.
According to the MKU website, Njoroge beat 18 other finalists drawn from countries spread across the world in a colourful ceremony that was presided over by the US Ambassador to Bahrain.
“We as MKU fraternity joined by fellow Kenyans congratulate Donatus Njoroge on his research which has been pinned on the global map. His research on post-harvest pest control is in line with goal two of Kenya's Big 4 Agenda. His research is timely as the country faces a dry span hence we need to safeguard the harvest that we already have,” said Dr Bibianne, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic and Research Affairs.
GIST Tech-I pitch competition brings together science and technology entrepreneurs from emerging economies worldwide, enabling young innovators through networking, skill development, mentoring, and access to financing to develop startup solutions that address economic and development challenges.
More than 500 up-and-coming entrepreneurs their submitted applications this year. Twelve finalists competed in the “idea” stage and twelve in the “startup” stage.
All entrepreneurs were seeking to further develop their innovations and competed for over $30,000 in seed capital funding and more than $200,000 in Amazon Web Services credits.