Kenya Airways PLC (KQ) has launched the Fahari Innovation Hub, a centre for innovation that acts as a springboard for new ideas and data-driven innovations to accelerate impact-driven solutions that address some of the societal and business challenges.
Allan Kilavuka, MD/CEO of Kenya Airways
Kenya Airways said the Fahari Innovation Hub is part of its strategy in contributing to the sustainable development of Africa by empowering, partnering, and co-creating innovative ideas and strategies with local start-ups and the small-medium enterprises (SMEs) ecosystem.
Joseph Mucheru, Ministry of ICT, Innovation and Youth Affairs Cabinet Secretary said: “There is need to invent new ways for the future and especially for our Youth to be able to respond as flexibly as possible to changing times and diverse opportunities.
“We commend Kenya Airways for partnering with National Youth Council and GE and leveraging and harnessing Youth potential to design the Fahari Innovation Hub in fast-tracking the country’s mission to use new, digital & environmental friendly business models beyond flying to shape our tomorrow. Through the hub we hope to see provision of upskilling, employment opportunities, community growth as well as support to local universities, enterprises and SMEs as we contribute to the sustainable development of Africa,” he added.
Allan Kilavuka, Kenya Airways Chief Executive Officer, mentioned: “At the pace at which change accelerates, especially now in the middle of a global pandemic, we have become increasingly aware of the need to be innovative as we position the business as a resilient, forward-looking and sustainable company with a deliberate inclusive agenda of empowering, partnering and co-creating with the society around us.”
“Enabling an environment that will accelerate innovative ideas, knowledge exchange and impact business operations brought together various think-tanks, industry leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs exemplifies our spirit to charge forward as we seek to innovatively find solutions that address some of our business problems and pain points,” he noted.
According to KQ, the Fahari Innovation Hub has operated virtually for about one year. With the setting of a physical workspace, the hub will provide a centre for strategic innovation management offering opportunities for co-creation, collaboration, networking, research, and learning.
The Fahari Innovation Hub curated a virtual workshop for entrepreneurs dubbed the ‘KQ Aviation 101 Workshop’ where the Fahari Innovation Challenge was launched. The workshop served to apprise start-ups and SMEs on the opportunities available to access markets within the entire value chain of the aviation sector which includes airports, the food industry, tourism, and digitization including Boeing Horizon X, IATA, Kenya Tourism Board, Nas Airport Services, General Electric, Hivos East Africa, and Funkidz Limited.