On September 27, 2024, the 12th Annual SME Conference and Expo took place at Strathmore Business School, featuring prominent speakers and panels focused on women entrepreneurs and the future of business. Dr. Ehud Gachugu, Global Youth Director at the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), highlighted future trends for women in the SME and social enterprise sectors, emphasizing the critical role of digitization, AI, automation, and e-commerce in aligning businesses with emerging consumer trends.

Key Highlights and Speakers:

Dr. Ehud Gachugu – Global Director, Youth and Jobs, KEPSA:
Dr. Gachugu highlighted AI as a transformative tool for enhancing business productivity, reducing operational costs, and creating job opportunities for young people. He emphasized the launch of a national AI skilling program by KEPSA in partnership with Microsoft, which has reached over 50,000 SMEs, particularly empowering women-owned enterprises. His strategic focus advocates for increased adoption of data analytics and flexible skill development to harness AI's potential for economic transformation.

Catherine Wanjoya – Founder, Genesis Care:
Motivated by her personal experience with limited access to menstrual hygiene products in rural areas, Catherine Wanjoya founded Genesis Care to provide dignified menstrual solutions to underserved communities. She has integrated AI-enabled systems to improve the tracking and distribution of products, enhancing operational efficiency. Wanjoya emphasized the importance of technological integration in product development and sustainability, addressing environmental impacts, climate change, and food security within the social entrepreneurship landscape.

Madeleine Mungei – Technical Team Lead, Fish Box Africa:
Madeleine Mungei showcased innovations in aquaculture through the use of IoT sensors and smart feeding devices that automate fish feeding processes. This technology has alleviated labour-intensive challenges for women in cage farming, enabling more efficient farm management. Mungei discussed the impact of AI in optimizing operations and empowering women farmers to balance work and responsibilities, as well as future applications in proposal development and scaling operations for enhanced business efficiency.

Key Takeaways:

• Technology as an Enabler: AI, automation, and digital technologies are critical in transforming women-led businesses, enabling them to improve efficiency, reduce operational burdens, and achieve scalable growth.
• Focus on Sustainability: Sustainable practices and addressing environmental concerns are essential for the long-term success of social enterprises, particularly in sectors like menstrual health and aquaculture.
• Skill Development: Investing in AI and digital skills is vital for empowering women entrepreneurs, fostering innovation, and creating new job opportunities in the rapidly evolving digital economy.
• Collaborative Efforts: Partnerships between private sector organizations, technology providers, and development partners are essential to fully unlock the potential of technology in driving social entrepreneurship and economic growth.

The Empowering Women, Building Future conference underscored the pivotal role of technology, particularly AI and automation, in transforming women-led businesses and driving socio-economic development. By embracing these technologies, women entrepreneurs can not only enhance business efficiency and sustainability but also amplify their social impact, contributing significantly to economic progress.