The Tech Interactive, Silicon
Valley’s renowned science and technology center, has significantly scaled up
its international flagship program, Tech Challenge Kenya, doubling
student participation and extending its reach to two Kenyan cities—Kisumu and
Nakuru.
Now in its third year in Kenya, the
2025 edition has attracted nearly 5,000 students from more than 1,000 schools,
a significant leap from the 2,700 participants in 2024 and just 750 in its
debut year of 2023.
The program, which has run since 1986 in California, aims to inspire young minds through real-world engineering problems.
This year’s expansion marks a major milestone in its global outreach
efforts, reinforcing its commitment to hands-on STEAM (Science, Technology,
Engineering, Arts, and Math) education in underserved communities.
“In the face of shrinking global aid, The Tech remains committed to expanding opportunity where it’s needed most,” said Katrina Stevens, President and CEO of The Tech Interactive.
“This
year’s Challenge reflects our belief that innovation knows no borders—and that
every student deserves the chance to become a problem-solver.”
The challenge, themed Drop & Dash, is inspired by real-world challenges in Turkana County, where drought has made access to emergency supplies difficult.
Students have been tasked with designing a device that can survive an air-drop and deliver supplies to a specific target, without the use of batteries.
The goal is to simulate critical
thinking and practical problem-solving under realistic constraints.
“This challenge is more than an
engineering task—it’s a way to empower students to think critically and
creatively about ways to address real challenges facing their communities,”
explained Shital Patel, Director of Kenya Expansion at The Tech Interactive.
A defining feature of the initiative
is its “train-the-trainer” approach. Kenyan educators receive remote training
from The Tech’s team in Silicon Valley to integrate engineering design-based
learning in classrooms. These trained teachers then mentor their peers,
creating a self-sustaining network of educators across the country.
To date, this teacher-led model has
strengthened STEAM instruction for over 19,000 educators and positively
impacted more than 568,000 students in Kenya.
“As Africa becomes the world’s next
innovation engine, The Tech is proud to support the creative potential of young
learners across the continent,” said Dr. Shikoh Gitau, CEO of Qhala and a board
member of The Tech Interactive. “This kind of learning—hands-on, high-stakes,
and human-centered—is what’s needed to create sustainable change.”
The public showcase events are
scheduled for July 5–6 in Kisumu and July 12–13 in Nakuru. Students will be
grouped into three divisions: Division 1 (Grades 4–6), Division 2 (Grades 7–9),
and Division 3 (Form 2–Form 4). Each team will present their engineering
solutions before a panel of volunteer judges drawn from academia, tech
companies, NGOs, and development agencies.
The showcase will bring together
over 800 student teams and feature judges and representatives from
organizations including Lish AI Labs, Mastercard Foundation, Microsoft, Save
the Children International, Médecins Sans Frontières, Moringa School, Zone01, Zipline,
Gearbox, IX Data Centre, Qhala, Kabarak University, Loho Learning, and more.
Corporate sponsors for the event
include Kenafric, SBM Bank, Gearbox, IX Data Centre, and Tropical Heat, all
supporting the platform that aims to grow the next generation of Kenyan
engineers, innovators, and global thinkers.
As the excitement builds ahead of
the showcase weekends, the spirit of innovation continues to take root in
classrooms and communities across Kenya—proof that the power of education, when
paired with opportunity, can cross borders and transform lives.
