TECHgrow in Kenya: From Problem to Prototype – in Just One Week

In June 2026, the TECHgrow Retreat took place in Lukenya, Kenya, as part of TECH4Transition. One week in which real-world problems turned into working prototypes – and a diverse group of young talents turned into three teams now heading into incubation.

Why we started earlier this year

Our previous rounds taught us one clear lesson: the biggest hurdle for young innovators is rarely the idea or the pitch – it's the technical implementation. That's exactly where we focused this year, together with GIZ.

Instead of starting with finished ideas, we confronted motivated talents with real problems described by local market experts. Using design thinking methods and the support of both technical and market experts, the teams then iterated on possible solutions – thought through from both angles: technically feasible and viable in the market.

The retreat brought together a strong mix of students, recent graduates, and young professionals. After intensive prototyping and the final pitches, three teams came out on top.

The three winning teams

HaptiQ – a wearable for deaf people. It captures the surrounding environment through sensors, uses edge AI to detect relevant events, and relays them to the wearer via customizable haptic feedback.

MEDX – an intelligent monitoring solution for medication transport. It prevents loss of efficacy caused by improper storage and makes the current condition of medications transparent to all stakeholders.

OxyTrack – a smart monitoring solution for hospitals. It tracks the fill levels of central oxygen tanks and the consumption of individual wards – enabling cost-efficient and timely procurement.

What's next

All three teams now enter a three-month incubation phase to further develop their prototypes. In early September, they'll pitch at the Final Event in Nairobi in front of our partners and investors.

Thank you

This retreat was made possible by Prof. Wilhelm Stork, Markus Lehner, and Janik Weis from the Institute for Information Processing Technology (ITIV), Moritz Fonda Ludwig from GIZ, as well as our coaches and tech experts on the ground: Derrick Lubanga, Dr. Hilda Muteshi, Lysanne van der Voort, Dr. Pamella Kageliza Kilavi, Jared Nganyi, and Walter Ouma.

A big thank you also goes to our partners – Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Strathmore University, @iBizAfrica, and Bosch – for the strong collaboration.

We can't wait to see where these teams' journeys take them.