CEIC Connect Forum Unveils Blueprint for Circular Innovation in Nairobi

Nairobi’s circular economy movement reached a new milestone with the CEIC Connect Forum, an ecosystem-wide gathering of entrepreneurs, investors, corporates, and policymakers committed to reimagining how resources flow through the city’s economy.

The event spotlighted ventures turning waste into value, embedding social inclusion into business models, and proving that environmental sustainability and commercial viability can thrive together.

Launching the Circular Venture Blueprint: ESO Principles

At the heart of the forum was the launch of the Circular Venture Blueprint: ESO Principles, a practical guide co-created by 14 organisations across Bengaluru and Nairobi.

Funded by the IKEA Foundation, the Blueprint offers hands-on strategies for Enterprise Support Organisations (ESOs) to strengthen circular ventures through three core principles:

“The Blueprint is grounded in real-world experience. It helps ESOs support circular start-ups in navigating markets still designed for linear business,” said Emily Amann, Entrepreneurship Orchestrator at Climate KIC.

Building an Innovation Cluster for Systemic Change

Since 2023, CEIC has gone beyond venture support to cultivate an innovation cluster designed to drive systemic change. Through capacity building, stakeholder forums, and ecosystem collaboration, CEIC has engaged entrepreneurs, ESOs, and county officials to reimagine Nairobi’s economic infrastructure.

“We are seeing entrepreneurs challenge the status quo in cities built for linear economies,” said Patricia Jumi, Co-Founder of GrowthAfrica. “The real transformation lies in how the ecosystem evolves how ESOs deliver support, how investors recognize circular value, and how policymakers enable circularity.”

Blueprint in Action: Tools That Empower Circular Ventures

The Blueprint is packed with actionable methodologies that CEIC has already begun deploying:

• Circularity Assessment & Emissions Mitigation Impact: Ventures like Harcourt Agri-Eco Farm used these tools to validate their impact, attract investors, and scale operations.
• Circular Business Development Canvas: Helps ventures design market strategies suited for circular models.
• Circular Idea Blender & Butterfly Diagram: Visual frameworks to clarify circular scope and business model design.
• Investor Engagement Modules: Equip funders with the tools to evaluate circular ventures beyond traditional metrics.

CEIC Programme Outcomes

The CEIC programme has delivered measurable impact across Nairobi’s circular economy landscape:

• Elevated awareness of circularity as a system redesign, not just recycling.
• Strengthened capacity among entrepreneurs, ESOs, and government officials.
• Increased circular investments into ventures with environmental and social impact.
• Improved market access for circular businesses in linear economies.
• Embedded social inclusion as a core business practice.

Participating Ventures

CEIC-supported entrepreneurs include:

Kenya’s SMEs Are Redefining Growth Through Private Equity and Venture Capital