KCIC Cleantech Innovation Competition 2026 for Kenyan University Students

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Applications are open for KCIC Cleantech Innovation Competition 2026. The Cleantech Innovation Competition is a joint initiative by the Kenya Climate Innovation Center (KCIC), the Embassy of Switzerland in Kenya, SICPA, and Strathmore University. It seeks to support early-stage businesses in the cleantech sector that focus on providing solutions to pressing environmental challenges.

The Cleantech Innovation Competition is a joint initiative by the Embassy of Switzerland-Nairobi, SICPA and KCIC. The purpose of the competition is to support early-stage businesses in the cleantech sector that focus on solving environmental problems. The Cleantech Innovation Competition is an initiative aimed at providing a platform for higher education students in Kenya to showcase their innovative cleantech ideas and technologies that can be used to address local environmental issues.

The competition is in line with the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDGs). Through strategic partnerships, KCIC will work to influence the creation of enabling legal and regulatory frameworks for clean tech businesses as well as the mainstreaming of the green growth and climate change agenda into the Kenyan economy.

KCIC is engaged in five sectors: water; renewable energy and energy efficiency (RE & EE); agriculture; commercial forestry and waste management. By focusing on these sectors, KCIC (and its clients) will directly and indirectly contribute to the achievement of SDG 1 (no poverty); SDG 2 (no hunger); SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation), SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy), and SDG 13 (climate action). Others are SDG 15 (life on land); SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth) and SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production).

The Kenya Climate Innovation Center, which is the implementing partner, is placing a call for applications to enrol cleantech technologies and related business ideas into the competition. The competition will address key challenges that hinder cleantech technologies and related innovative business ideas from tapping into the immense potential in the cleantech sector. The applications can be submitted online through the KCIC website. The call for applications will run from 10th July 2026 to 10th August

KCIC Cleantech Innovation Competition Benefits

Accelerator Support
- Business development and growth assistance
Funding Access
- Connect with investors and financing options
Skills Training
- Capacity building and mentorship
Network Access
- Connect with industry partners and peers

Eligibility Criteria

The applicant must be a university student in Kenya.
The application must be in the ideation stage
The application must clearly demonstrate how it addresses an environmental problem

Evaluation Criteria

The following criteria and scoring system will be used for evaluation of the eligible applications for this call.

Scalability – does the innovation show clear and compelling mission to grow a sustainable and commercially viable business
Climate Impact – The extent to which the proposed business/product/technology has an impact on climate mitigation OR climate adaptation OR environmental benefits.
Job Creation – The potential of the proposed business/product/technology towards job creation.
Progress to date – has the applicant taken key steps to move the idea forward?
Innovation – is the business innovative in the way it addresses an identified problem in the market / has a unique business model?