Kenyan IT firm Seven Seas Technologies has launched two incubation programmes to support local startups at early and later stages of development, while also rolling out services to enable investors to more easily back Kenyan businesses.
Seven Seas has launched its Innovation Labs programme, which involves two incubation programmes for Kenyan tech startups – SST Kabla and SSTakeoff.
SST Kabla is aimed at early-stage startups or aspiring entrepreneurs – “kabla” is Swahili for “before” – in the healthcare space, and is looking for applicants at the pre-idea, pre-team or pre-funding stage, ideally mid-career professionals with proven success in the health services space.
“The first mile is often the hardest: lonely, precarious and littered with failure. This is why SST Group is taking strides to tackle head-on the challenges that face Kenyan startup culture: why most fail within their first year,” the company said.
Applications are open for SST Kabla until June 16, with selected entrepreneurs to receive assistance with idea validation and building a team, while also being given access to a co-working facility and a monthly stipend.
Meanwhile, for startups that have moved past the launch stage, Seven Seas has launched SSTakeoff, which aims to assist startups with proving their concepts, scaling and growing. The programme is geared towards empowering existing startups using the company’s expertise and network.
As with SST Kabla, applications are open until June 16, with benefits including daily access to the Seven Seas Innovation Team and weekly meetings with the company’s leadership. Seven Seas will look to open doors for startups in the public and private sectors, while the company has also partnered with investors in a bid to help startups scale.
These partnerships have seen Seven Seas launch its SST Fund initiative, which will allow investors to put money into local startups more easily. Seven Seas is establishing a channel that will find, vet, fund and monitor startups on behalf of investors.