Designing Change: How Innovation Sprints Are Fueling Green Businesses in Kenya
Empowering young entrepreneurs through life-centered design, collaboration, and sustainable innovation.
Turning Ideas Into Action
Across Kenya, young innovators are transforming bold, sustainable ideas into real businesses. Yet without access to funding, mentorship, and practical tools, many promising ventures struggle to grow.
To close this gap, the Institute of Design and Innovation (IDI), UNICEF, and the Kenya Girl Guides Association launched the BeGreen Africa Design Sprint , a program helping young entrepreneurs move from early concepts to market-ready solutions.
Learning by Doing
Over 200 participants refined their ideas through rapid design innovation sprints that emphasized customer research, value proposition development, and pitching practice. Rooted in human- and life-centered design, the sprint fostered iteration: entrepreneurs shaped and reshaped their ideas based on real-world feedback, collaboration, and sector-specific insights.
Rather than relying on theory, entrepreneurs engaged in collective problem-solving , testing assumptions, sharing peer critiques, and co-evolving stronger solutions together.
Design Principles That Shaped Success
Throughout the sprint, three core design principles emerged as critical drivers of progress:
- Learning by Doing
Entrepreneurs advanced faster through hands-on sessions and real-world case studies than with theory alone. This principle of experiential learning ensured skills were not just taught, but internalized through action.
- Financial Literacy as Foundational Design
By integrating early training in financial modeling, budgeting, and forecasting, we reinforced the principle of building from the bottom up—ensuring every business had a strong financial backbone from the start.
- Collaboration as a Creative Engine
Regular pitching sessions, peer reviews, and expert feedback embedded the principle of co-creation. These moments of collaboration sharpened ideas, boosted confidence, and highlighted the value of collective intelligence.
A New Wave of Green Innovators
From Mombasa to Nairobi, participants from over 10 counties joined the BeGreen Africa sprint — and many are already turning their ideas into impact. In sustainable agriculture, one venture is converting organic waste into nutrient-rich biofertilizer to support local farmers and reduce chemical use. In the renewable energy space, another team developed affordable solar energy kits for households, small businesses, and community institutions, expanding access to clean power. In eco-friendly manufacturing, one group is transforming organic waste into durable PVC rattan, producing long-lasting outdoor furniture while reducing landfill waste. Meanwhile, in green packaging, a standout project is converting banana crop waste into biodegradable alternatives to single-use plastic. These ventures reflect a growing movement of young entrepreneurs building sustainable, market-ready solutions rooted in local challenges.
With the right tools, collaboration, and design-driven thinking, this new generation is proving that sustainable business is not just possible , it’s already taking shape. These aren’t just good ideas on paper. They’re real ventures, built by young people who understand their communities and are creating solutions that work for people and the planet.