Konza, Kenya To Host IASP Members For Their 2024 Global Conference

The International Association of Science Parks and Areas of Innovation (IASP) members have voted for Nairobi, Kenya to be the host of their annual high-level conference in 2024.

IASP shared on their social platforms that the members had voted for Kenya to be the host nation with Konza Technopolis being the official host of the conference. Konza (Konza Technopolis) is a key flagship project of Kenya’s Vision 2030 economic development portfolio.

Once completed, Konza will be a world-class city, powered by a thriving information, communications, and technology (ICT) sector, superior reliable infrastructure and business friendly governance systems. The news of Kenya hosting the 2024 conference has been well received by various players in the ICT sector in Kenya as it will bring forth more opportunities for ICT to grow in Kenya, and Africa in general.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Konza Technopolis John Tanui, also took to social media to celebrate this great fete.

“We are elated by the news of winning bid to host 2024 World Conference of International Association of Science Parks and Areas of Innovation (IASP). We thank the members for the confidence in Kenya,” Tanui said.

The most recent conference for IASP members was that of members from across the Asia Pacific region who participated in a high-level conference on science parks as catalysts for innovation, organized by APEC.

The APEC Conference on Science and Technology Parks: Possible Catalysts in Promoting Enabling Environments for Innovation was a hybrid event held on September 13th-14th 2022 in Lima, Peru and online, featured three workshops followed by interactive sessions to exchange experiences, and virtual exhibition booth to showcase six success stories.

The strategic axes of the discussion focussed on implementation and planning of STPs; strategy design and minimum standards, management in line with sustainability, digitalization, inclusion of SMEs and post-COVID-19 economic recovery; and the evolution of STPs and their adaptation to the 4th Industrial Revolution.

Participants included several IASP board members: IASP President Herbert Chen (TusPark, China); IASP North America President Carol Stewart (Tech Parks Arizona, USA); IASP Latin American President Juan Pablo Suarez (Parque Científico y Tecnológico UTPL, Ecuador) and IASP Asia Pacific President Suwipa Wanasathop (Thailand Science Park, Thailand). Also sharing their expertise were Eduardo Matozo (Litoral Centro Technology Park, Argentina), Jorge Audy (PUCRS, Brazil), Martha Leal González (PIIT Monterrey, Mexico) and Fernando Amestoy (Technological Pole of Pando, Uruguay).