About the Awards
The Inaugural SME Innovation Excellence Awards 2023 acknowledge and reward innovative SMEs that have demonstrated different innovations in their products, services, or operational processes to enhance efficiency and service delivery. This initiative is part of a larger framework designed to foster innovation within a continuous ecosystem, with the ultimate aim of enhancing Kenya’s Global Innovation Index (GII) ranking. Additionally, it seeks to drive productivity, economic growth, and the creation of employment opportunities.
Nominees
Best Overall Business Innovation Awards
Eco Bio Fertilizer, Alisam Products Development and Design Limited, Safi Organics, Mazao Fertilizers, and Organic Agriculture Solutions
Best Women-led Business Innovation Award
Alive and Kicking Kenya, Junky bins company limited, Organic Agriculture Solutions, Wanderlust Diaries Ltd, and Holby Investment Limited
Best Youth-led business innovation award
Timao Group, Kawili Group Kenya Ltd, Piquant Spices, Irri-Hub Ke, and Finda
Meet the Judges
We extend our gratitude to the esteemed Innovation Excellence Awards judges, who were derived from a great pool of thought leaders and industry experts who together scrutinised the shortlisted candidates to come up with the list of the 15 SMEs
Nominees
Congratulations to all individuals who made it to the shortlist for this year’s SME Innovation Excellence Awards.
1. Best Overall Business Innovation Award
Eco Bio Fertilizer
Eco Bio Fertilizer is a social enterprise looking to curb poor yields by farmers through the provision of organic soil conditioners. They use Solar Powered High Heat Composting Technology to convert Biomass Waste into Valuable Certified Organic Fertilizer.
URL: https://ecobiofertilizer.co.ke/about-us/
Alisam Products Development and Design Limited
Alisam Products Development and Design Limited utilizes the waste produced by the fish processing industry in the western Kenyan city of Kisumu that pollute the lake and combines it with waste from bananas and then convert them into fish leather for finished product such as fish leather shoes, jackets, belts and bags for export.
URL: https://www.howwemadeitinafrica.com/
Safi Organics
Safi Organics leverages state-of-the-art real-time hardware and software technology to convert biomass using locally available resources labor and waste into high-yielding biochar-based organic fertilizers that can improve farmers’ yields by up to 30%.
URL: https://safiorganics.co.ke/
Mazao Fertilizers
Mazao organic NPK fertilizer formulation bears crop disease protection properties for a one-stop solution; crop nutrition and crop protection and natural soil remediation reducing greenhouse gases emitted from the overuse of chemical farm inputs. Their Mazao organic Digesters have a composite of microbes used for composting, extinguishing smell, and breaking down wastes and industrial effluent into Eco-friendly waters for greening, to manage waste.
URL: https://mazaofertilizers.co.ke/
Organic Agriculture Solutions
Organic Agriculture offers climate-smart irrigation products, affordable Black Soldier Fly (BSF) based poultry and fish feeds, agronomic consultancy, and training on BSF feed formulation.
URL: https://organicagriculture.co.ke/
2. Best Women-led Business Innovation Award
Alive and Kicking Kenya
Alive and Kicking Kenya makes hand-stitched, screen-printed, durable sports balls in Kenya with materials that are sourced locally.
URL: https://aliveandkicking.org/
Junky bins company limited
Junky bins company limited converts Organic waste to organic poultry, pig, and fish and establishment of a Material Recovery Facility.
They provide residential, Commercial, Hospitality, and Industrial Waste Collection, Transportation, and Disposal of waste. Junky Bins encourages recycling, reducing waste, and reusing the waste.
URL: https://www.junkybins.org/
Organic Agriculture Solutions
Organic Agriculture offers climate-smart irrigation products, affordable Black Soldier Fly (BSF) based poultry and fish feeds, agronomic consultancy, and training on BSF feed formulation.
URL: https://organicagriculture.co.ke/
Wanderlust Diaries Ltd
Wanderlust Diaries Ltd is a travel platform that has opened up domestic tourism.
This travel information-sharing platform supports travellers through the inspiration and planning stages of the consumer purchase journey by providing information on what, where, when, and how much.
URL: https://wanderlust-diaries.com/
Holby Investment Limited
Holby Investment Limited is a social enterprise dealing with Skills Training and coaching, Business Branding, and empowering rural business communities on business sustainability.
URL: https://holby-training-solutions.business.site/
3. Best Youth-led business innovation award
Timao Group
Timao Group is a triple-impact company recycling plastic waste into affordable building materials offering durable, sustainable buildings. This has created opportunities for affordable and dignified living that is accessible to everyone.
URL: https://timaogroup.co.ke/
Kawili Group Kenya Ltd
Kawili Group Kenya Ltd manufactures low-cost building blocks using locally available materials such as plastic waste and red volcanic soil blended with cement and compressed using a manual machine to produce the blocks that are used in constructing affordable houses in Kwale County
URL: https://www.kawili.co.ke/
Piquant Spices
Piquant Spices manufactures 100% Pure and natural spices that provide an alternative source of vital nutrients such as vitamins and have medicinal value
URL: https://piquant.co.ke/
Irri-Hub Ke
Irri-Hub is an agriculture company that provides irrigation solutions. They provide Climate-smart solar-powered irrigation systems for smallholder farmers in Kenya to increase their productivity and resilience.
URL: https://irri-hub.com/
Finda
Finda is an internet-based platform that serves as an enterprise directory, facilitating quick and easy location and access to the most reliable, trustworthy, sustainable, and nearby products and services.
URL: https://www.finda.co.ke/
Vote Now
We are thrilled to announce the commencement of the voting phase for the 2023 SME Innovation Excellence Awards.
Nominees
- Eco Bio Fertilizer
- Alisam products development and design limited
- Safi Organics
- Mazao Fertilisers
- Organic Agriculture Solutions
Nominees
- Alive and Kicking Kenya
- Junky Bins Company Limited
- Organic Agriculture Solutions
- Wanderlust Diaries Ltd
- Holby Investment Limited
Nominees
- Timao Group
- Kawili Group Kenya
- Piquant Spices
- Finda
- Irri-Hub Ke