The Legatum Center for Development and Entrepreneurship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has launched its 2024-25 Foundry Fellowship cohort with an immersive exploration of Kenya’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The week-long tour brings some of Africa’s top innovators to Nairobi, connecting them with key players in government, academia, corporate sectors, and investment to foster cross-continental collaboration and knowledge exchange.
This initiative underscores the Foundry Fellowship’s mission to empower Africa’s entrepreneurial leaders to build dynamic ecosystems that spur economic growth and innovation.
The fellowship provides mentorship, leadership training, and practical learning experiences, enabling participants to enhance their impact as entrepreneurs, policymakers, and investors.
Nairobi, chosen for this inaugural tour, highlights Kenya’s burgeoning startup culture, which drives economic growth and technological advancements. With a youth-dominated population—75% under the age of 35—and global success stories like M-Pesa, Nairobi has cemented its reputation as a key hub for African innovation.
Over the course of the tour, the Fellows will participate in an Adaptive Leadership seminar led by Hugh O’Doherty, Adjunct Lecturer at the Harvard Kennedy School. They will also visit notable institutions such as the Microsoft Africa Development Center and the Nairobi Stock Exchange, gaining insights into Kenya’s innovative approaches to scaling impactful solutions.
Dina H. Sherif, Executive Director of the Legatum Center, commented, “The Foundry Fellowship is dedicated to strengthening Africa’s next generation of entrepreneurial leaders. By immersing our fellows in the dynamic ecosystem of Nairobi, they gain invaluable insights into what’s possible when African-led innovation meets collaboration and opportunity. Our goal is to build entrepreneur-led communities that can drive the change needed to transform systems and improve lives on the continent. I am truly proud of the impact our fellowship is making in realizing this mission”.
Jennifer Brady, Senior Advisor for the Foundry Fellowship, added, “This ecosystem tour provides our Fellows with a rare opportunity to connect deeply with Kenya’s innovation landscape, learning from its successes and challenges to inform their own entrepreneurial ecosystems. This experience is essential to the Fellowship’s mission to build bridges and foster inclusive prosperity across Africa.”
Founded in 2007, the Legatum Center integrates MIT’s ethos of mens et manus (mind and hands), equipping entrepreneurs with the practical tools and leadership values necessary for creating scalable businesses. Beyond empowering individuals, the Center’s work generates actionable insights to advance global entrepreneurial ecosystems.
Through initiatives like the Foundry Fellowship, the Legatum Center continues to highlight the role of entrepreneurs as catalysts for sustainable and inclusive prosperity, both in Africa and beyond.