Presidential Innovation Award (PIA)

Presidential Innovation Award

Supports Kenyan innovators through a national initiative that highlights high-impact research and solution-focused innovation outcomes.

⚠ This may reflect a past cycle — verify the current call on the funder's site.

The Presidential Innovation Award (PIA) is Kenya's national innovation prize competition, administered by the Kenya National Innovation Agency (KENIA). The award operates across four categories — University, Youth, Startups, and Research to Commercialization (R2C) — and recognizes innovations in digital transformation, healthcare, food security and agriculture, entertainment and gaming, and climate action and green energy. Prize amounts are KES 5 million for first place, KES 3 million for second, and KES 2 million for third in each category, with an additional KES 500,000 prize for youth winners from each of Kenya's 47 counties, placing the estimated annual prize pool above KES 60 million. The 2024–2025 cycle attracted pitching startups from across Kenya, cohorts from 22 universities, and youth participants from all 47 counties, with an application deadline of 17 November 2024.

Eligibility requires legal registration in Kenya with Kenyan citizen founders, a minimum viable product that has been tested and piloted, intellectual property providing competitive advantage, and a team of at least three members with complementary skills. For the Startups category, established startups with three to five years of operation are targeted. Winners also receive a showcase slot at Kenya Innovation Week and participation in a five-month accelerator program alongside the cash prize, adding non-monetary value to the award.

The PIA follows a four-step process: online application submission, independent jury evaluation, finalist showcase, and award ceremony. The 2025–2026 cycle has not yet been formally announced as of late May 2026. Applicants should monitor the official PIA portal at pia.kenia.go.ke for the opening of the next cycle. Organizations with working prototypes in KENIA's priority sectors — particularly those in healthcare technology, agtech, or climate solutions — are the strongest candidates. Winners in the R2C category are drawn from participants in KENIA's R2C Accelerator cohorts.