Research Fellows at the School of Business

INVESTIGATING THE ROLE OF BUSINESS INCUBATION MODELS ON THE GROWTH OF WOMEN AND YOUTH–LED CLEAN ENERGY ENTERPRISES IN KENYA

By:

Gladys Chematia Butia

MSc Commerce(Finance & Investment)

  The clean energy enterprises in Kenya have grown rapidly in the recent years due to the commitment by the government to promote sustainable development projects. The growth has encouraged entrepreneurs in clean energy sector particularly women and youth to establish businesses on solar and clean cooking technologies. However, these entrepreneurs face a lot of constraints which include lack of business support, access to credit and systemic cultural factors. Business incubation models have supported these entrepreneurs to navigate these constraints. The models provide assistance which include mentorships, access to capital, training and awareness creation to support growth of these enterprises. This research aim is to investigate the various business incubation models used by women and youth-led clean energy enterprises in Kenya, analyzing the systemic factors that influence model selection, and assessing their impact on business growth. The findings will contribute to the development of more effective support models for these entrepreneurs, leading to increased participation of women and youth in Kenya's clean energy sector.   Keywords: Business incubation models, systemic factors, clean energy enterprises

SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC PRACTICES IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN EFFECTIVENESS OF WOMEN–LED ENTREPRENEURS IN SOLAR ENERGY IN KENYA

By:

Lucy Nabangala Mulinge MBA Corporate Management

  This study aims to explore the relationship between sustainable economic practices and supply chain effectiveness among women-led solar energy enterprises in Kenya. The research addresses the significant gap in understanding how gender-specific challenges and sustainability practices influence the operational efficiency and success of these enterprises. The problem at hand is that women entrepreneurs in the solar energy sector often face unique barriers, such as limited access to resources and culturally ingrained gender biases, which may hinder the effectiveness of their supply chains. The main objective of this study is to identify the types of sustainable economic practices and supply chain mechanisms employed by these women entrepreneurs and assess how these practices impact the efficiency of their supply chains. The expected outcomes include insights into best practices for improving supply chain effectiveness, promoting gender-inclusive policies, and enhancing the competitiveness of women-led solar energy businesses in Kenya. Keywords: Sustainable practices, Supply chain effectiveness, Women entrepreneurs, Solar energy

UNDERSTANDING FACTORS INFLUENCING FINANCING MODELS FOR BUSINESS SCALABILITY: A CASE OF CLEAN ENERGY WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS IN KISUMU COUNTY.

By:

Alvin Daniel Onyango

MSc. Development Finance

Increasing flow of development finance is catalytic for just transition entrepreneurship. Nonetheless, liquidity and profitability affect most women entrepreneurs in clean energy value chain. This is exceeded by systemic factors like cultural norms, interest rates, collateral and market structures. Understanding financing model structures like mechanisms, incentives and marketing strategies to support their growth and employment creation is deemed fit for purpose. This study proposes to offer new thinking for innovative and sustainable financing model to accelerate access to affordable and clean energy which can only be achieved through increased production. Keywords: Finance Models, Women Entrepreneurs, Clean Energy, Systemic Factors