Kenya Space Agency hosts ABIL roundtable to promote space innovation ecosystem

By:  Nana Appiah Acquaye

The Kenya Space Agency (KSA) has convened the Africa Business Innovation Lab (ABIL) Stakeholder Roundtable in Nairobi to strengthen collaboration around the use of space and Earth Observation technologies in addressing development challenges across Africa.

The high-level forum was jointly organised by KSA and ABIL implementing partners including STAM S.r.l., LocateIT Kenya, Adanian Labs, Planetek Italia and Corallia.

The roundtable served as a platform to formally introduce the Africa Business Innovation Lab initiative to Kenya’s innovation and development ecosystem while exploring opportunities for space-driven innovation across critical sectors.

ABIL is part of the Africa–EU Space Partnership Programme (AESPP), funded by the European Union under the Global Gateway initiative and implemented by the European Space Agency in close collaboration with the Kenya Space Agency.

The initiative seeks to accelerate innovation in space technologies and Earth Observation applications across areas such as agriculture, climate resilience, disaster management, urban planning and natural resource management.

The event brought together representatives from diplomatic missions, research institutions, development organisations and technology firms, including the Italian Space Agency, Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD), Expertise France, FAO Kenya, the World Food Programme, the British High Commission, universities and innovation hubs.

Discussions during the meeting focused on business and technical challenges affecting key sectors and how space technologies and Earth Observation data can be leveraged to develop practical and commercially viable solutions.

The Kenya Space Agency said it remains committed to building partnerships that position Kenya as a regional hub for space-driven innovation while strengthening connections with pan-African and global innovation ecosystems.