On 28-31 January, we had the pleasure of hosting our partners from Kenya Climate Innovation Center (KCIC) and five Kenyan cleantech companies to Estonia for sTARTUp Day 2024. This visit was one of the key activities within our project "Green Bridges: Fostering Estonian-Kenyan Cleantech Collaboration", an initiative for strengthening ties between Estonia and Kenya’s cleantech ecosystems.
Upon arrival in Tallinn, we facilitated a meeting between KCIC and Startup Estonia, the primary organisation responsible for supporting Estonia’s startup ecosystem and the growth of its companies. Our guests got a firsthand look at Estonia’s business-friendly policies, funding opportunities, and innovation-driven infrastructure—key ingredients that have turned Estonia into one of the leading startup hubs in the world.
From Tallinn, we headed to Tartu for a meeting with representatives from Solarstone and eAgronom, who shared their journeys in building scalable cleantech ventures in Estonia. The guests also met with Sparkup Tartu Science Park.
At sTARTUp Day, five Kenyan cleantech startups—Eco Nasi, Wable Maji Safi Solutions, Chaji, ProteinMasters, and Caino Africa—had the opportunity to showcase their solutions on the festival pitching stage. Presenting before an audience of investors, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders, these companies gained exposure and contacts for potential collaborations that could accelerate their market expansion to Estonia.
"Green Bridges" builds upon the foundation laid by "Kenya Twin Transition Ecosystem Building", the first initiative between the Estonian Cleantech Association and KCIC. This second phase deepens collaboration by opening doors for Estonian and Kenyan startups to access each other’s markets.
By providing access to Estonia's startup ecosystem, we aim to enable market entry and long-term business opportunities. We have hosted several webinars introducing Estonia and the EU’s business landscape and regulatory environment to cleantech companies in Kenya to support this. These sessions have helped companies understand the legal and operational frameworks necessary for successful expansion.
“Green Bridges” is made possible with support from ESTDEV, the Estonian Centre for International Development.
