Manu Chandaria./PHOTO; Courtesy
Kenyan industrialist and philanthropist Manu Chandaria, through the Chandaria Foundation, has partnered with KCA University to establish a new business incubation and innovation hub aimed at equipping students and young innovators with the tools to become job creators and entrepreneurs.
The partnership, formalised through a Memorandum of Agreement, will see the establishment of the Chandaria Business Incubation and Innovation Centre (CBIIC), a Sh20 million facility designed to support the development and commercialisation of innovative ideas into viable businesses.
The centre will be housed on the sixth floor of KCA University’s Sh8 billion state-of-the-art Multi-Level Academic Building, a flagship infrastructure project under the university’s ongoing expansion.
Once operational, the hub is expected to serve as a dynamic space where academic learning intersects with practical entrepreneurship.
The CBIIC will provide comprehensive support to students and aspiring entrepreneurs, including mentorship, entrepreneurship training, seed funding opportunities and access to industry partnerships.
By embedding incubation within the university setting, the initiative seeks to bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world enterprise development.
Speaking on the partnership, Chandaria Foundation Trustee Dr Manu Chandaria said the investment reflects a broader vision of youth empowerment and national self-reliance.
“Innovation and entrepreneurship are the cornerstones of sustainable development and economic transformation. Investing in young innovators and providing them with the tools, mentorship and resources they need to succeed is not just about creating businesses but also about building a self-reliant nation,” Dr Chandaria said.
The partnership comes at a critical moment for Kenya’s economy, as youth unemployment continues to pose a major challenge, with many university graduates struggling to secure formal employment.
The CBIIC aims to respond to this reality by shifting the focus from job-seeking to job creation, in line with the country’s Vision 2030 development blueprint.
Among the centre’s key objectives are promoting innovation awareness, supporting technology start-ups, facilitating global linkages for international collaboration, and safeguarding intellectual property rights.
By positioning itself as an international incubation hub, the CBIIC also seeks to participate in global accelerator programmes and attract venture capital to support promising Kenyan innovations.
KCA University Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer Prof Isaiah Wakindiki said the initiative reinforces the institution’s ambition to lead in research, innovation, and incubation.
“This partnership with the Chandaria Foundation is a testament to our unwavering commitment to building a research, innovation, and incubation-driven institution that nurtures job creators and entrepreneurs,” Prof Wakindiki said.
He noted that the centre will provide an enabling ecosystem where creativity meets opportunity, equipping students not only with theoretical knowledge but also with the practical skills and support needed to translate ideas into sustainable enterprises.
The launch of the CBIIC also aligns with KCA University’s broader infrastructure and academic growth agenda.
The institution is currently implementing phase one of its Sh8 billion masterplan, valued at Sh1.7 billion, under its 2024–2028 strategic plan, aimed at strengthening research, innovation, and student-centred learning.
With the establishment of the Chandaria Business Incubation and Innovation Centre, KCA University and the Chandaria Foundation are positioning youth-led innovation as a critical pathway to addressing unemployment, driving enterprise growth, and contributing to Kenya’s long-term socio-economic development.
