East African entrepreneurs launch regional energy transition business network

The network was launched during the Kenya closing event of the Social & Inclusive Business Camp (SIBC) East Africa – Energy Transition programme held in Nairobi on Thursday, bringing together entrepreneurs, investors, business advisers, development partners and members of the SIBC alumni community.

Peter Gitau, Founder and Managing Director of Trailblaze Unit Ltd, was named president of the newly formed network.

Gitau said the network would provide entrepreneurs with a platform to pursue business opportunities, build strategic partnerships and support each other beyond the formal programme.

“This is not the end of the journey. The network gives us a platform to continue creating business opportunities, building strategic partnerships and supporting one another to grow,” Gitau said.

The 2026 SIBC East Africa programme brought together impact-driven entrepreneurs from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Ethiopia working in sectors linked to the energy transition, including clean energy, renewable energy, energy efficiency and clean cooking.

The programme sought to strengthen the entrepreneurs’ capacity in areas such as business growth, fundraising, leadership, impact measurement and investor engagement.

The entrepreneurs underwent a structured six-month programme combining online learning with in-person activities, including bootcamps, a summit, pitching sessions and engagements with investors and other players in the business ecosystem.

For the Kenyan cohort, the programme involved eight entrepreneurs whose businesses operate across areas including electric mobility, solar financing, biomass energy, renewable-energy-powered productive use solutions, regenerative agriculture, sustainable livestock production, circular fashion and energy-efficient event solutions.

Anne-Gael Chapuis-Mirol, Kenya Country Director at the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), said the programme had enabled entrepreneurs to strengthen their businesses while building relationships with peers and other players in the ecosystem.

She also highlighted the interaction between the 2026 cohort and entrepreneurs from previous SIBC cohorts, saying the connections could support continued peer learning and business collaboration.

AFD is expected to continue supporting opportunities that connect Kenyan businesses with regional and international networks.

The new Ambassador of France to Kenya, Wadid Benaabou, also highlighted the potential for the programme to deepen links between Kenyan entrepreneurs and French businesses.

Benaabou said the platform could facilitate new relationships and partnerships between businesses while supporting enterprises working in the energy transition.

He also recognised the entrepreneurs’ progress and their incorporation of gender considerations into their businesses.

The programme's focus on inclusive entrepreneurship is aimed at supporting businesses seeking to generate social and environmental impact while contributing to a more sustainable energy transition.

Eva Kimani, the Kenya SIBC Country Expert, urged entrepreneurs to maintain the relationships developed during the programme and strengthen the alumni network.

Kimani encouraged previous participants to “send the ladder down” by supporting new entrepreneurs and creating opportunities for knowledge sharing, mentorship and collaboration.

The closing event provided the entrepreneurs with an opportunity to pitch their businesses, engage investors and business advisers and identify potential partnerships as they transition from the programme into the next phase of business growth.

SIBC said the next phase would focus on translating the relationships and commitments developed during the programme into business expansion, new markets, access to finance and deeper social and environmental impact.

The SIBC East Africa – Energy Transition programme is implemented through the AFD Group Campus in partnership with CEFE, MDF, Sahara Ventures, Inter Ethiopia Solutions PLC and Terra Energy.

Since its establishment in 2017, SIBC says it has supported more than 350 entrepreneurs to scale their businesses and prepare to raise funds.