Is Kenya still the Silicon Savannah or it is an old folks Tale ?

I am not basically the only one who is questining the position at the top of the Ladder!, we might be laying so low on this matter but it’s a true factor. Lets take a deep Dive into what by then was propelling the Kenyan Ecosystem.

IHub 2.0

iHub is not basically a bad place but rather i think to me they really did make it lost at 2.0 after the Acquisition , I am an Avid lover of Tech startups Accelerators and Incubators, but after this we really saw iHub take it down the drain to a business full model capsizing alot of ships. This Made me really Question if the model was really condusive for early age startups. Back in 2017 reports on Google’s Entrepreneur news, 5 hubs in Africa have been funded by Google, of which this means they are provided with  technical trainings, mentoring, business tools and financial sponsorship, so that they can serve our growing startup ecosystems. ccHub: Lagos, Nigeria, Jozihub: Johannesburg, South Africa, iHub: Nairobi, Kenya, iSpaces: Accra, Ghana, Outbox: Kampala, Uganda. Not the bold part of our phrase, serve our growing startup ecosystems: this a major statement quoted and out of the stated hubs only a few make news of nurturing the startups better, Jozihub and Cchub, play a major role in their ecosystems.

On a scale Comparison of the Hubs my Take would really go CCHub, it’s really on the active lane propelling the Nigerian Tech Ecosystem, by far much far compared to our own 2.0.

Quoting Wired in 2018 “Kenya’s $1 billion tech hub is home to more than 200 startups, as well as established firms like IBM, Intel and Microsoft. They’re working to solve problems through tech, though here the problems are a little different than finding a parking spot or getting your laundry folded. The company BRCK, for instance, is connecting off-the-grid schools to the internet through solar-powered routers and tablets. AB3D turns electronic waste into affordable 3D printers that spit out artificial limbs. According to Stroisch, AB3D founder Roy Mwangi “wants Kenya to be understood as a country that has innovation and creative potential.””

This to me now really doesn’t Count! Though yes I acknowldeg all the startups born from there and all it’s Efforts in the Ecosystem but as for now  I guess we can no longer count IHub as an Incubation but a business, since Nairobi itself has more than 10 tech spaces, it’s time to let the younger ones grow.

Don’t get me started on this I mean we brag of Mpesa in our Fintech Waves, Whilst other countries really creating Unicorns, we only have Mpesa, no other competion can really take down this ? are wa running a cartel on this space?  Mpesa yes has revolutionised the money space in Kenya but how convenient is it  ? Take for instance right now Wapi Pay, a Kenyan startup with “offices in China and Singapore“, is carrying out this play and has carved a market for itself by facilitating payments between both extreme remittance worlds of Africa and Asia. Wapi Pay only focusing on Remiting finances in two Regions like WTH ? … yes it tranformational but dah! lets get it down.

On the other hand we have Flutterwave, which recently enabled and patnered with Mpesa creating a bridge on the Fintech Spaces, Slowly Engroping the African Spaces Financialy Flutterwave is on a Roll in 12 African Countries.   On Terms and Vision look at this Statement from Techcrunch in 2015  :“What we’re trying to do is remove the barriers between these payment instruments and channels, Aboyeji said. “If what you have is mPesa, you should be able to pay into someone’s bank account. You can charge people’s cards. You can accept payments via a link on Instagram.”

Yes We Have Mpesa and Paybills and Buy Goods but I mean how Convenient is it ? Maybe I guess yes we have to Lias with Finance Systems in other spaces to work it through but ….

A Recent Expansion again on the Kenyan Tech space is Autochek a Nigerian automotive tech company which announced the acquisition of Cheki Kenya and Uganda from Ringier One Africa Media (ROAM) for an undisclosed amount. I gues you see where my spear head is shooting at  ? Nigerian Startups really have a push from somewhere and we really need to figure out the root of this.

All the news in the Airwaves are just dull Speculation of our 2030 vision with automatic doors leading direct tech Abyss of Products that create a once in a life time Finance for the Founders rather than the space as a whole. Phewks atleast we have the few Startups getting Funding, I guess the Bank has to Roll.

The chain is really Endless on why we should take the Crown based on works to Nigeria, I guess its upon you to be the critic of whatever is Happening .. this is not a boys club but a big boys club and Kenyan startups and Hubs and everyone |in it in the Tech space really need to grop up their balls and recalim the Title.