On August 15, 2025, Strathmore University hosted the final day of the fourth edition of the Ideas Festival, a platform dedicated to showcasing innovation that cuts across disciplines. This year’s theme, “Bridging Disciplines: Where Ideas and Impact Meet”, drew participants from diverse fields, all united by a common goal: to demonstrate how clean energy can unlock progress across sectors.
The event opened with remarks from Prof. Izael Da Silva, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation, who underscored the university’s role in fostering solutions that address Africa’s most pressing challenges.
Access to affordable and clean energy remains a key challenge in Sub-Saharan Africa, with implications for healthcare, urban development, governance, and business sustainability. While solutions exist, scaling them requires fresh thinking, cross-sector collaboration, and platforms that connect innovators with decision-makers. The Ideas Festival provided that space, giving five finalist teams the opportunity to present their work to a panel of expert judges.
In his keynote address, Joseph Murabula, CEO of the Kenya Climate Innovation Center (KCIC), challenged participants to move beyond invention to measurable impact:
“Innovation is not just about invention; it’s about building ideas that change lives and transform communities.”
This message framed the presentations that followed, with finalists showcasing practical, scalable solutions that demonstrated the power of interdisciplinary collaboration. The festival featured five finalist teams demonstrating how clean energy can drive solutions in healthcare, urban planning, policy, and business.
The judges engaged each team in rigorous Q&A sessions, assessing innovation, feasibility, and social impact. In the afternoon, the awards ceremony celebrated the top teams, with the grand prize of KES 350,000 going to a project that exemplified the festival’s vision. Each awardee shared insights from their journey, offering a glimpse into the persistence and problem-solving required to bring an idea from concept to reality.
The Road Ahead
The 2025 Ideas Festival reinforced that meaningful change happens when ideas are tested, refined, and supported. For KCIC, it was a reaffirmation of our mission to enable innovators to translate their concepts into viable solutions that address real challenges.
As these finalists continue developing their projects, the connections, feedback, and visibility gained at the festival will be critical in advancing their work. Events like these are not an end in themselves, but a catalyst, accelerating the journey from concept to impact.
