Kenyan incubator iHub marked its fifth birthday over the weekend by announcing a list of 100 individuals or companies that it believes have contributed most to the develop of the country’s tech ecosystem over the last five years.
Disrupt Africa reported last month iHub was to bring together its community for the #5yrTechBash in Nairobi to commemorate the anniversary and look back on five years of achievements.
The innovation space was launched in 2010, offering an open space for technologists, investors, tech companies and hackers, with a focus on young entrepreneurs, web and mobile phone programmers, designers and researchers.
At the event, iHub announced ‘The 100’, recognising those its community and Advisory Board considered to have done most for the development of Kenya’s innovation ecosystem.
“There are certain people who have done amazing things, who have mentored people, who have built great businesses, who have sacrificed themselves for the greater good of the tech community in Kenya,” said iHub co-founder Erik Hersman.
“All of the people on this list have given of themselves to make the Kenyan tech ecosystem one of the strongest in Africa.”
The list included a host of individuals involved in the launch and growth of the iHub, including Antony Njoroge, Daudi Were, James Orengo, Fady Rostom, Kwame Nyongo, Hilda Moraa, Paul Muchene, Angela Okune, Jimmy Gitonga, Jessica Colaco and Juliana Rotich.
Also included were the likes of Google Kenya’s Joe Mucheru, EatOut founder Mikul Shah, ICT Authority chief executive officer (CEO) Victor Kyalo, Nailab head Sam Gichuru and 88mph co-founder Nikolai Barnwell.
Savannah Fund managing partner Mbwana Alliy earned recognition, as did Growth Hub’s Johnni Kjelsgaard. John Kieti, who has recently left his position as lead at m:lab, was praised as a “great thinker”, while former Safaricom CEO Michael Joseph was included for “taking early bets with Safaricom”.
Flagship companies such as M-Farm, Kopo Kopo and Ushahidi made the cut, while there was also praise for the likes of Ory Okolloh, Mark Kaigwa and Dr Bitange Ndemo, the latter for “fighting for the good of the tech community from a high government office for many years”.
Tribute was also paid to One Africa Media (OAM) founder Carey Eaton, who died last year, who was praised as a “true legend in his own time”.
The full list of winners can be found here.
