Government Engages Stakeholders Ahead of STRI4Society Week 2026 to Advance Innovation Agenda
By Gedion Nzyoki -
- The Government of Kenya convened stakeholders in Nairobi to rally support for STRI4Society Week 2026, bringing together actors from government, academia, industry, and development partners to strengthen collaboration in science and innovation
- Officials emphasized the need for increased investment, stronger partnerships, and effective translation of research into practical solutions that support national development priorities
- STRI4Society Week 2026 is set to serve as a major national platform for innovation, policy dialogue, and industry engagement, aimed at accelerating Kenya’s science and technology agenda under Vision 2030 and the BETA framework
Nairobi, Kenya | April 27, 2026 — The Government of Kenya has stepped up efforts to mobilize national support for the Science, Technology, Research, and Innovation for Society (STRI4Society) Week 2026 following a high-level stakeholders’ breakfast convened by the State Department for Science, Research and Innovation at the iconic Golden Tulip Hotel in Nairobi on Monday morning.
The strategic meeting brought together key players from government, academia, industry, development partners, and the private sector as part of a broader push to strengthen partnerships and unlock investment for the country’s flagship science, technology, research, and innovation platform.
Led by Principal Secretary Prof. Shaukat Abdulrazak, the forum served as a critical onboarding platform for partners while aligning stakeholders ahead of the much-anticipated national event, scheduled for May 18–22, 2026, at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi.
It also marked a significant milestone in positioning STRI4Society Week as a unifying platform linking research, policy, industry, and society to drive sustainable development.
Speaking during the event, Prof. Abdulrazak reaffirmed the government’s commitment to advancing Kenya’s science and innovation ecosystem as a key driver of economic transformation.
He emphasized the need for increased investment, alongside accountability, to ensure tangible outcomes from research initiatives.
“If Kenya is to leapfrog into a globally competitive economy, we must invest boldly in science, research, and innovation, and demonstrate real results from these investments,” he said.
He further noted that Kenya’s expanding network of universities and research institutions provides a solid foundation for scaling innovation, but stressed the importance of institutional capacity to effectively absorb and translate funding into impact.
The breakfast meeting also served as a platform to position STRI4Society Week not merely as a one-off event, but as a sustained national vehicle for collaboration and action. Stakeholders were invited to come on board as partners, sponsors, and exhibitors, with discussions highlighting opportunities for visibility, co-creation, and investment.
In his remarks, the Acting Director General of the National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI), David Ngigi, highlighted the commission’s ongoing efforts to strengthen quality assurance in research while promoting innovation that directly contributes to Kenya’s socio-economic development goals.
STRI4Society Week 2026, themed “Igniting Innovation: Bridging Science and Society for Sustainable Development,” is projected to attract over 5,000 participants at KICC in Nairobi. The event will bring together policymakers, researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs, investors, and international delegates.
The week-long programme will include high-level policy dialogues, keynote addresses, innovation exhibitions, and collaborative platforms designed to strengthen linkages between academia, government, and industry.
It will also place strong emphasis on youth inclusion through STEM mentorship, innovation challenges, and entrepreneurship-focused initiatives.
In his keynote address, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Research Fund (NRF), Dickson Andala, emphasized the importance of bridging the gap between knowledge generation and national development.
“For Kenya to fully realize the value of research, we must strengthen the link between knowledge generation and national development. STRI4Society Week provides a unique platform to showcase research outputs and accelerate their uptake into policy, industry, and society,” he said.
On his part, the Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya National Innovation Agency (KeNIA), Tonny Omwansa, described the platform as a catalyst for translating innovation into enterprise and real-world impact.
He noted that STRI4Society Week presents a key opportunity to connect innovators with industry players, investors, and policy support to scale solutions that address Kenya’s most pressing challenges.
“STRI4Society Week is a critical platform for translating innovation into enterprise and impact. As KeNIA, we see this as an opportunity to connect innovators with industry, investment, and policy support to scale solutions that address Kenya’s most pressing challenges,” he said.
Stakeholders at the breakfast meeting expressed strong interest in supporting the initiative through sponsorships, technical partnerships, and in-kind contributions, noting its potential to enhance visibility, strengthen collaboration, and deliver measurable impact.
The government, meanwhile, emphasized that the success of STRI4Society Week will depend on sustained engagement and collective action beyond the event itself.
The initiative comes at a time when countries globally are increasingly leveraging science and innovation to tackle complex challenges such as climate change, healthcare, food security, and digital transformation.
Kenya’s STRI4Society Week is therefore positioned as both a national and global platform, connecting local innovation to regional and international opportunities.
As the country advances its development priorities under Vision 2030 and the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), STRI4Society Week is expected to play a pivotal role in strengthening Kenya’s innovation ecosystem and accelerating the translation of research into socio-economic development.
Overview of STRI4Society Week
STRI4Society Week is Kenya’s premier platform for science, technology, research, and innovation, convened by the State Department for Science, Research and Innovation in collaboration with the National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI), the National Research Fund (NRF), and the Kenya National Innovation Agency (KeNIA).
The platform is designed to bridge the gap between scientific research and societal impact by promoting collaboration among government, academia, industry, and communities, with a focus on translating knowledge and innovation into practical solutions for national development.
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