The 2015 Global Entrepreneurship Summit - GES

Kenya will be hosting the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in July of 2015. This is going to be a great opportunity for young people, entrepreneurs, businesses and the continent at large to converge and reconnect with global players in the enterprise field. President Obama has been on the fore front of this initiative and has elevated entrepreneurship to the forefront of the United States’ engagement agenda during a historic speech in Cairo in 2009. 

The first summit was hosted by the United States in 2010 in Washington, D.C., The GES has expanded to a global event that has been un-matched with the amount of will power coming from the participation and good will of global players. Other countries that have played host are the governments of Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, and Morocco. 

The 2015 Global Entrepreneurship Summit comes to Nairobi, Kenya, on July 25-26. This becomes the sixth annual gathering of entrepreneurs at all stages of business development, business leaders, mentors, and high-level government officials. The established tradition demonstrates the U.S. Government’s continued commitment to fostering entrepreneurship around the world. In retrospect, this becomes a good platform to network, exchange ideas and connect with other global ventures that will catapult our African Businesses to the next level. 

Here is What President Obama had to say about the Global Entrepreneurship Summit 

This is also seen as an opportunity for African businesses to connect with the ventures that will infuse skill, finance and technical abilities so that business start ups and those that want to scale can be able to get the boost that they need to compete in the global market. It is also an opportunity for the global markets to get a taste and a sense of what Africa has to offer to the World. I believe, the potential for Africa has not been fully utilized and it is just a unique market that will overtake other players since the opportunities are still yet to be explored. As the old adage goes, lets make hay while the sun shines. The global enterprise sun, is shining on Africa. 

Interested to participate, here is the application form where to apply.

The Future Daily

THE FUTURE daily is out

Invest in growing Women and Youth Agri SME's

Many innovations are being practiced on pilot and on scale in the country when it comes to Agribusiness and Entrepreneurship. One aspect that is dear to me is that of Gender Transformative & Responsible Agribusiness Investments. Women in our rural communities have traditionally worked hard in their farms or family farms tiling to eke a living for their families' survival. 

It is important for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) operating in agriculture value chains to transform their thinking and practices in focusing on the role that women have played. Support should be channeled to businesses that compliment impact assessment and are investment readiness to which capital can be provided by impact investors.

Agri-SMEs that are making a positive impact in their community and are interested in optimizing that impact and have growth potential should be natured in order for their best practices to be scaled or replicated. For communities living near water bodies should invest on businesses in aquaculture and specifically palm and coconut oil value chains for coastal regions. SMEs from all agri-focused value chains should be identified and given the necessary support to grow.

For our communities to grow into sustainability and have greater impact, focus should be given on growing, replicating and scaling women’s economic empowerment through the growth of agribusinesses. 

Farming is cool for both women and youth, it still is and will be the back bone of our economic growth trajectory. If Government doesn't support Agriculture, then Kenya and Africa indeed will be headed the downward trend. How else will our economies achieve food security if investments are not put in agri SME's run by women and youth?

Thinking Green

This morning unlike all other mornings, my mind is fixated on the future of green and sustainability in our livelihoods. This for sure can only be achieved if we have disciplined values and principles that think of our future generations.

What we do now and how we nature the young ones, will determine the kind of future that our universe will turn out to be. Lets go green, lets ensure our future generations have a place they can call home. Let us instill values that they will pass on to their future generations as well.

Lets live, sleep, work, and go green.

President Obama arrives to deliver remarks on clean energy after a tour of a solar power array at Hill Air Force Base in Utah on April 3.  (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)