Kenya Airways PLC on Thursday 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.
The Fahari Innovation Hub is part of KQ’s 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.
ICT Cabinet Secretary, Joseph Mucheru while speaking at the launch said that there is need to invent new ways for the future and especially for the Youth to be able to respond as flexibly as possible to changing times and diverse opportunities.
Joseph Mucheru stated “… 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 and environmental friendly business models beyond flying to shape our tomorrow.”
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.
This 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.
He added “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.”
Kenya Airways Chief Executive Officer, Allan Kilavuka stated that “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.”
He added that an enabling environment 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.”