Young people have been urged to use Pwani Innovation Week 2026 as a platform to showcase their innovations, seek mentorship, engage with employers and investors to explore opportunities for growth and collaboration.

Speaking during the event in Mombasa, Swahilipot Hub Foundation Head of Programmes James Ndungu said the Coast region has immense potential in the blue economy, tourism, agriculture, digital technology and creative industries; however, many young people continue to face barriers to employment, financing, access to markets, mentorship and professional networks.

Ndungu said young people do not lack ambition or creativity but need the right support systems, enabling environments and meaningful connections to opportunities.

“This week must be more than a celebration of ideas; it is a week to make commitments, mobilise resources and open doors,” he said.

He called on stakeholders to establish clear pathways to employment through mentorship, internships, apprenticeships and workplace opportunities.

Ndungu also urged stakeholders to support youth-led enterprises with capital, mentorship and access to markets to enable them to start, survive and grow.

“We need to turn innovation into practical solutions by connecting innovators to customers, technical expertise and opportunities to test and scale, and by investing in the coastal ecosystem through sustainable programmes,” he said.

He challenged stakeholders to identify at least one concrete action they could take, one partnership they could advance and one opportunity they could unlock for the community.

Ndungu further encouraged young people across the Coast region to contribute to local solutions and take an active role in shaping their future, adding that the next decade should focus on moving from ideas to implementation, innovation to livelihoods, and individual success stories to an ecosystem that creates opportunities for more young people.

“As Wangari Maathai reminded us, it is the little things citizens do that make the difference, so let each of us do our little thing this week and leave Pwani Innovation Week 2026 with clear commitments, partners and a shared determination to turn ambition into action,” he said.

The discussions at Pwani Innovation Week 2026 underscore the importance of collaboration among young innovators, businesses, investors, development partners and public institutions in unlocking the Coast region’s potential.

Through youth-led innovation and the long-term ambitions of Pwani 2050, stakeholders are being encouraged to turn ideas into practical solutions that create employment, strengthen local enterprises, preserve cultural heritage and promote sustainable regional development.

Meanwhile, GDI Africa Chief Executive Officer Alice Gugelev called for a long-term regional vision that promotes sustainability while preserving the coast’s rich Swahili heritage and culture.

Gugelev said the region needs a platform that brings together ideas and projects capable of shaping a sustainable future for coastal communities.

“We actually developed something called Pwani 2050, which is about 20 years away, and we see that big visions take time,” she said.

She encouraged residents, innovators and other stakeholders to imagine and create a future that transforms lives while safeguarding the region’s cultural identity.

Gugelev said the Pwani 2050 vision includes dozens of proposed projects that members of the public can explore and contribute to by suggesting initiatives capable of transforming the coast today and in the years ahead.

She added that ideas shared through the platform would be considered as the vision moves towards implementation.

“All projects will be in public. I know how frustrating it is not to know how money is spent, so people will be able to see the progress of the projects, visibility and accountability,” she said

By Mary Mtawa