UK to support entrepreneurs in green technology businesses

British High Commissioner to Kenya, Ms Jane Marriott, says technology is at the heart of the UK-Kenya strategic partnership. 

Photo credit: Salaton Njau | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • The UK in partnership with the Future Females Business School is set to support female entrepreneurs to grow their Green Technology (GreenTech) businesses in the country.
  • British High Commissioner to Kenya, Ms Jane Marriott said technology is at the heart of the UK-Kenya strategic partnership.
  • The three-month virtual program will cover 10 actionable modules that take entrepreneurs through the fundamental building blocks of starting and growing a GreenTech business.

The UK in partnership with the Future Females Business School is set to support female entrepreneurs to grow their Green Technology (GreenTech) businesses in the country.

Future Females in partnership with UK-Kenya Tech Hub, recently announced the Future Females Business School, a program focusing on GreenTech that will support 30 Kenyan female founders through the Business School GreenTech program.

UK-Kenya Tech Hub Director, Ms Sheena Raikundalia in a statement, said entrepreneurs had already been trained on how their innovations can be used to solve development challenges including access to financial services, healthcare, food and education.

“With this GreenTech program, we want to find and support leading female entrepreneurs, developing local solutions addressing one the biggest crisis facing us globally, climate change,” she said.

British High Commissioner to Kenya, Ms Jane Marriott said technology is at the heart of the UK-Kenya strategic partnership.

“These fantastic women will be the future of their communities and Kenya, building the world of the future,” said Ms Marriot.

Future Females co-founder, Ms Cerina Bezuidenhout said her organisation has always been passionate about supporting sustainable businesses, adding they are excited to be focusing on GreenTech businesses.

Innovative solutions

“The entrepreneurs who participate in our programs are not just building businesses, but creating innovative solutions to real problems we’re facing in this ‘new’ world, and act as a source of hope for their communities, and we can’t wait to meet them,” she said.

This support will be at all levels ranging from £200 million flowing into major clean technology programs through International Climate Finance, to entrepreneurs designing and developing small and micro-enterprise sustainable companies of the future.

The program is for Kenyan female entrepreneurs with early-stage businesses that aim at protecting the environment and conserving natural resources using alternative technologies that are less harmful to the environment.

Businesses targeted by the program include those in generation of power through renewable energy technology, waste management collection, water management and farmer’s markets.

Those in organic produce and retail, green blogs, eco-friendly fashion, eco-friendly beauty or cleaning products, green app development, used bookstore, integrative medicine (herbal/plant-based remedy) and food plant nursery and such other industries are also listed in the GreenTech solutions category as eligible.

Utilise technology

The program targets founders who are already working on GreenTech solutions and ready to up their skills and utilise technology to sustainably grow their businesses.   

The three-month virtual program will cover 10 actionable modules that take entrepreneurs through the fundamental building blocks of starting and growing a GreenTech business.

Throughout the duration of the program, entrepreneurs will have access to weekly coaching sessions and guest feature master classes with industry experts; to increase the capacity of their enterprises to scale.

The UK-Kenya Tech Hub forms are part of the International Tech Hub network delivered by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), under the Digital Access Program a UK government initiative designed to build inclusive prosperity through capitalizing on digital services and opportunities in partner countries.

Applications for the Future Females Business School GreenTech program are now open until February 22, 2021, with only 30 spots available for the pilot program commencing on the March 8, 2021.

Kenyan-based female entrepreneurs with a GreenTech business idea or with an early-stage start-up and passionate about making a social impact are invited to apply.

Future Females has shown immense growth since its conception in August 2017, in Cape Town, currently boasting a presence in 36 locations worldwide.