About

Gusii Innovation Week

Background

Scaling Innovations for Climate-Smart Food Systems

Gusii Innovation Week 2026 (GIW2026) is a regional flagship event to accelerate climate-smart agrifood innovation in Southwestern Kenya. Building on the inaugural GIW2025; which convened over 300 participants and produced 16 tech prototypes addressing agrifood challenges; the 2026 edition will scale up these successes. GIW2026 advances this journey with a focused theme of “Scaling Innovations for Climate-Smart Food Systems,” aiming to turn proven ideas into widespread action. 

READ Concept Note
Objectives

Goals of GIW 2026

GIW2026 is designed to achieve the following goals:

01
Catalyze Climate-Smart Innovation

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Inspire development and scaling of technologies and practices for climate-resilient, regenerative agriculture and food systems.

02
Empower Youth & Women

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Engage young innovators and women agripreneurs at the forefront of solution design and entrepreneurship, building on GIW2025’s momentum in youth and female participation.

03
Accelerate Agribusiness Growth

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Connect startups, MSMEs and cooperatives to mentorship, markets, and investment to boost value addition, market access, and agro-industrialization.

04
Foster Partnerships

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Strengthen multi-stakeholder networks (public, private, academia, civil society, diaspora) to drive collective action in food systems innovation beyond the event.

05
Influence Policy & Investment

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Align innovation efforts with policy frameworks and attract funding (public and private) into climate-smart agrifood initiatives, supporting Kenya’s development agendas (Vision 2030, BETA) and global goals.

GIW 2026

Thematic Tracks

Climate-Smart & Regenerative Agriculture

Emphasizing sustainable farming practices that enhance resilience to climate change while restoring soil and ecosystem health.

AgriTech, AI & Digital Agriculture

Focusing on the transformative power of technology – from artificial intelligence and IoT to mobile apps and big data – in agriculture.

Value Addition, Agro-Processing & Manufacturing

Dedicated to strategies for moving up the value chain – processing raw agricultural outputs into diversified, higher-value products.

Market Access, Trade & AfCFTA Opportunities

Concentrating on connecting producers to markets; locally, regionally, and internationally.

Green Finance, Climate Finance & Impact Investment

Addressing the crucial question of financing innovation and climate-smart agriculture. Lack of affordable financing remains a systemic barrier for farmers and agripreneurs.

Diaspora

Additionally, a segment will be devoted to the role of diaspora investment and remittances in agribusiness; a theme identified in 2025 for further development.

Full Concept Note
  • Lessons from GIW2025

    The Power of Partnership

    GIW2025 demonstrated the value of collaboration across government, academia, industry, and community. The event brought these actors “under one roof,” creating a robust support system for innovators

  • Lessons from GIW2025

    Youth and Women at the Center

    The inaugural event showed that given the opportunity, youth and women innovators deliver high-impact solutions. Many hackathon teams and summit panelists were youth or female-led, prompting calls by policymakers to further empower these group

  • Lessons from GIW2025

    Local Problems, Homegrown Solutions

    Innovations were most successful when tailored to local needs.

  • Lessons from GIW2025

    From Ideas to Impact – Follow-through is Vital

    A major lesson was that prototypes and pitches must translate into real-world impact.

  • Lessons from GIW2025

    Greater Visibility and Policy Influence

    GIW2025 garnered significant media attention and government buy-in.

  • The Power of Partnership
  • Youth and Women at the Center
  • Local Problems, Homegrown Solutions
  • From Ideas to Impact – Follow-through is Vital
  • Greater Visibility and Policy Influence

    • GIW2025 demonstrated the value of collaboration across government, academia, industry, and community. The event brought these actors “under one roof,” creating a robust support system for innovators

    • The inaugural event showed that given the opportunity, youth and women innovators deliver high-impact solutions. Many hackathon teams and summit panelists were youth or female-led, prompting calls by policymakers to further empower these group

    • Innovations were most successful when tailored to local needs.

    • A major lesson was that prototypes and pitches must translate into real-world impact.

    • GIW2025 garnered significant media attention and government buy-in.

    Results

    Expected Outcomes & Impact Targets

    20+ Innovations (Tech Prototypes)

    20+ prototypes developed during hackathon, addressing track-specific challenges; Top 10 to receive incubation support post-event

    30+ Startup/MSME Pitches

    30+ startups/MSMEs to pitch to investors and partners during the summit and deal rooms (at least 6 per thematic track), spurring funding discussions.

    10+ Deals / MoUs Facilitated

    10+ formal deals/MoUs signed or firmly committed by end of event (e.g. investment deals, partnership agreements, pilot project MoUs).

    15+ Strategic Partnerships

    15+ new strategic partnerships forged, such as:

    • Innovation working groups for each of the 5 tracks (industry, academia, government members)

    • At least one diaspora partnership (e.g. diaspora fund or mentorship program launched)

    • New sponsor or institutional partners committing to support GIW beyond 2026.

    Participant Engagement

    800+ in-person participants over the week (more than doubling 2025), including international delegates. 

    1,500+ public visitors to open events (e.g. Food & Innovation Fair).

     Virtual reach: Live-stream audience of 1,000+, enabling diaspora and remote participation.

    1M+ Media Impressions

    1,000,000+ media impressions (print, broadcast, online) with coverage in national media and trending on social media (#GIW2026). 

    Publish 2+ policy briefs (climate-smart agribusiness, youth innovation) for government and stakeholders.

    Secure on-site presence of media houses and produce a professional documentary of GIW2026.

    Follow-on Incubation and Pilots

    Launch at least 2 new programs as a result of GIW2026:

    - e.g. a Climate-Smart Agriculture Challenge Fund (with donors/banks) seeded to finance pilots

    - an expanded GIW Accelerator Program to support 2026 innovators for 6-12 months.

    Target 50%+ of prototypes from GIW2026 to progress into pilots or incubated ventures within one year.

    Spark the Solutions

    Redefine Africa’s Agrifood Future

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