The sixth edition of Pwani Innovation Week (PIW) 2025 kicked off in Mombasa with a call to harness the power of young people to drive Kenya’s transformation and economic growth.
This year’s event, themed “Pwani Re-Imagined: Youth Agency, Innovation & Sustainability of Coastal Economies,”has brought together innovators, policymakers, and development partners to explore ways of empowering coastal youth through technology, creativity, and entrepreneurship.
Speaking during the opening forum, Alex Chesosi, Chairman of Truly Kenya Limited, urged leaders to turn Kenya’s growing youth population into a source of opportunity rather than a challenge.
“There are two sides to the youth bulge the youth dividend and youth disruption,” Chesosi said. “When empowered, youth drive growth; when neglected, they drive instability.”
Chesosi highlighted the Truly Kenya Digital platform the country’s first ethical social media platform developed in partnership with ImagineBC as a step toward empowering digital content creators through transparency, fair compensation, and responsible online engagement.
He described the ‘Pwani Re-Imagined’ initiative as a roadmap for building resilience and prosperity in Kenya’s coastal region, driven by innovation and youth-led solutions in the Blue and Creative Economies.
“This is about charting a new path for the coastal economy one that thrives on innovation, sustainability, and the creativity of young people,” he added.
PIW 2025 builds on the success of last year’s edition, which fostered cross-border collaboration with Tanzanian partners through the Tanga Yetu Initiative. This year, the event has expanded its reach to include innovators, investors, and policymakers from across the East African coastline, further strengthening partnerships for sustainable development.
Organized annually by the Swahilipot Hub Foundation, Pwani Innovation Week has grown into a key regional platform that promotes collaboration, knowledge sharing, and investment in transformative ideas across the Blue, Green, and Creative Economies.
Denis Itumbi, Head of Presidential Special Projects and Creative Economy Coordination, praised Truly Kenya and ImagineBC for leading efforts to build a transparent and inclusive model for the creative economy.
“The future of advertising is creator-led,” Itumbi noted in a statement shared on X. “Truly Kenya and ImagineBC are piloting a model where viewers are rewarded for their engagement while ensuring creators earn fairly a structure that supports Kenya’s goal of building a globally competitive creative sector.”
Key speakers at the event include Dr. Kevit Desai, Chairman of Pwani Innovation Week 2025; Salim Mvurya, Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports; Professor Shaukat Abdulrazak, Principal Secretary for Science, Research and Innovation; and Mombasa Governor Abdullswamad Sheriff Nassir.
