Three days of discussions, showcases, pitching and conversations around innovation came to a close on Thursday as the 5th Central Rift Innovation Week (CRIW) 2026 concluded at Kabarak University.
The final day placed innovators at the centre of the programme, with participants pitching solutions in Agritech, HealthTech and FinTech before a panel of judges. Each innovator was given five minutes to present their idea, followed by a three-minute question-and-answer session. The pitches were assessed against a standard evaluation rubric.
The pitching sessions allowed innovators to test their ideas, respond to judges' questions, and demonstrate the potential of their solutions. The programme also featured an MSME Innovation Showcase, allowing participants to exhibit their work to other stakeholders attending the event.
Beyond the competitions, the day also focused on what innovators need to move from developing an idea to preparing it for investment and the market. An investor masterclass explored unit economics, financial modelling, risk transfer, due diligence and deal structuring, with contributions from Access Bank, ICEA LION and the National Research Fund.
This was followed by a panel discussion on moving innovations from prototype to product, with a focus on manufacturing, standards, distribution, and intellectual property-backed scale-up. The programme also provided an opportunity to showcase some of the top innovations before the Innovation Awards and recognition of outstanding innovators.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Henry K. Kiplangat, closed the three-day event, bringing to an end this year's edition held under the theme “Transforming Ideas into Impact: Innovating for a Better Tomorrow.”
The fifth edition brought together academia, government, industry, investors, entrepreneurs, development partners and other players in the innovation ecosystem through presentations, expert discussions, workshops, showcases and pitching competitions.
As the event came to a close, appreciation was extended to the partners and sponsors whose support contributed to the success of CRIW 2026, including Access Bank, DSL, the Kenya Industrial Property Institute (KIPI), National Research Fund (NRF), Boresha SACCO, Kabarak University SACCO, Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), NCBA Bank, Kenya National Innovation Agency (KeNIA), AMREF and ICEA LION, alongside other supporting organisations.
The University also appreciates the speakers, mentors, judges, exhibitors, researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs, students, staff and participants who took part in the three-day programme.
CRIW 2026 closes with the conversations continuing beyond the event, as innovators, researchers and partners take forward ideas developed and connections made during the three days.
