Kenya Climate Innovation Center (KCIC) Cleantech Innovation Competition 2026 for University Students

Applications are now open for the Kenya Climate Innovation Center (KCIC) Cleantech Innovation Competition 2026, an innovation programme designed to support university students in Kenya who are developing early-stage climate and environmental solutions.

The competition is a joint initiative of the Kenya Climate Innovation Center (KCIC), the Embassy of Switzerland in Kenya, SICPA, and Strathmore University. It aims to identify promising cleantech innovations and equip young innovators with the funding opportunities, business support, mentorship, and networks needed to transform their ideas into sustainable enterprises.

The KCIC Cleantech Innovation Competition supports university students with innovative business ideas that address pressing environmental and climate challenges.

The programme focuses on helping participants develop commercially viable cleantech businesses capable of creating jobs, promoting sustainable development, and delivering measurable environmental impact.

Successful applicants will receive business acceleration support, mentorship, investor connections, and capacity-building opportunities to help move their innovations from the ideation stage toward market readiness.

Applications are welcomed from innovations addressing challenges in areas such as:

• Water
• Renewable Energy
• Energy Efficiency
• Climate-Smart Agriculture
• Commercial Forestry
• Waste Management
• Other climate and environmental sustainability solutions

The competition also supports innovations that contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDGs 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, and 15.

Successful applicants will receive:

• Business acceleration and enterprise development support.
• Mentorship from experienced business and industry experts.
• Capacity-building and entrepreneurship training.
• Access to investors and funding opportunities.
• Networking opportunities with innovation partners and industry stakeholders.
• Guidance to commercialise and scale their climate innovation.

To apply, applicants must:

• Be a university student studying in Kenya.
• Have an innovation that is currently at the ideation stage.
• Present a solution that clearly addresses an environmental or climate-related challenge.
• Demonstrate commitment to developing the innovation into a sustainable business.

Applications will be evaluated based on:

• Scalability: Potential to build a sustainable and commercially viable business.
• Climate Impact: Contribution to climate change mitigation, adaptation, or broader environmental sustainability.
• Job Creation: Ability of the innovation to generate employment opportunities.
• Progress to Date: Steps already taken to develop and validate the idea.
• Innovation: Originality of the solution and its ability to address a clearly identified market need.

The KCIC Cleantech Innovation Competition offers aspiring entrepreneurs an opportunity to transform innovative climate ideas into impactful businesses.

Beyond mentorship and technical support, participants gain access to investors, industry experts, entrepreneurship training, and a strong innovation ecosystem that can accelerate the growth of their ventures while contributing to environmental sustainability and economic development.

Applications close on 10 August 2026.

Interested applicants should submit their applications through the official Kenya Climate Innovation Center (KCIC) application portal before the deadline.

Applicants must complete the online application form, provide accurate personal and contact information, and answer all mandatory questions. Once an application has been submitted, it cannot be edited or amended. Shortlisting will begin after the application window closes.