About Us

The Kenya Small Business Development Centers is a USAID program being implemented by Strathmore University Business School with a mandate to  champion both public and private-sector-led development to enable SMEs participate fully in the economy and  create jobs.

This will be achieved through the establishment of  an accredited network of Kenyan Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Development Centers that will be supported by the National and County Governments, Private Sector;  Institutions of Higher Learning, Business Associations and other Not-For-Profit Organizations.

The project takes the best practices in business development and advisory services from the U.S. Small Business Development Center (SBDC) model and transfers them to a local network of county-based business centers. This local network of centers adapts and implements the SBDC’s accredited training curriculum and proven methodology for supporting small businesses. The project also builds linkages between Kenyan and American MSMEs to transfer best practices and proven models from the U.S. SBDCs to Kenya’s county-based business centers.

This helps Kenyan MSMEs more effectively take advantage of local and export market opportunities, have improved access to finance, apply market analytics, and benefit from a supportive business-enabling policy environment at the county-level. This strengthens Kenya’s economic competitiveness and generates positive impacts (jobs, livelihoods, and incomes) for the Kenyan people.

Vision

To acquire sustainable and fundable MSMEs to increase their productivity and profitability

Mission

To develop an inclusive and diverse network of MSMEs to catalyze growth in business and trade opportunities

Core Values

core values

Key Drivers

  • Operationalize an accredited network of small business development centers
  • Establish sustainability and support for the small business development centers
  • Provide a platform to tap into export-market opportunities
  • Support economic inclusivity for women, youth and special groups
  • Establish business linkages between the U.S. and Kenyan MSMEs

Our work cuts across all sectors with an interest in the following

Our Work

The project takes the best practices in business development and advisory services from the U.S. Small Business Development Center (SBDC) model and transfers them to a local network of county-based business centers. This local network of centers adapts and implements the SBDC’s accredited training curriculum and proven methodology for supporting small businesses. The project also builds linkages between Kenyan and American MSMEs to transfer best practices and proven models from the U.S. SBDCs to Kenya’s county-based business centers.

This helps Kenyan MSMEs more effectively take advantage of local and export market opportunities, have improved access to finance, apply market analytics, and benefit from a supportive business-enabling policy environment at the county-level. This strengthens Kenya’s economic competitiveness and generates positive impacts (jobs, livelihoods, and incomes) for the Kenyan people.

Activities

The centers provide the following services:
Consulting: Structuring production and pricing of various value chains, business operations and planning.
Training: Focusing on export market readiness, business governance and management, and sustainable business operations and planning.
Advisory on Business Development: Accessing finance, business planning, technology development, regulatory compliance, marketing, and international trade; and
● Policy Research and Market Intelligence: Focusing on consumer market insights, export market trends and policy briefs.

Activity Locations

    • NAIROBI: coordination – Coordination, management and supervision of the 6 counties hosting the small business development centers.
    • ISIOLO: better public management – With one of the highest county budget absorption rates (80%) of all counties, Isiolo is located in the arid North and on the gateway to northern Kenya. Its potential as a key investment frontier is heightened by being on the LAPSSET Corridor, an ambitious infrastructure project between Kenya, Ethiopia, and South Sudan.
    • KIAMBU: business environment – Adjacent to Nairobi, Kiambu enjoys high human development assets, moderate levels of budget absorption and County Gross Product (GCP), and significant investment opportunities exist in the major towns of Ruiru and Thika
    • KISUMU: urban growth potential – With high governance capacity, Kenya’s third largest city has an international airport and significant economic potential as a driver of growth in the region, including a recent effort by the East African Community to revive the Kisumu Port
    • MAKUENI: better governance – One of the most forward leaning counties for citizen engagement and public financial management, Makueni has significant investment opportunities in the mining and agribusiness.
    • MOMBASA: urban growth potential – As Kenya’s second largest city, Mombasa has a high rate of development budget absorption (75%), high human development capacity, and a lot of economic potential for the county and the region. Mombasa is the ‘Gateway to East Africa’ as a major link on the Northern Corridor. The expansion of the Mombasa port and its linkage to the dry port at Naivasha in Nakuru county portends potential business opportunities.
    • NAKURU: urban growth potential – Nakuru is one of the fastest growing counties with significant investment potential especially with the extension of the Standard Gauge Railway and establishment of Inland Container Depot (Dry Port) in Naivasha. With a significant GCP and relatively high human development capacity, investment opportunities include: horticulture production, geothermal power, and export processing zones. Simba Cement recently opened a new factory in Nakuru.

Key Partners

At the heart of KSBDC, are our partners both international and local businesses from across sectors that share a common commitment to empowering Small and Medium Enterprises.

  • The University of Texas at San Antonio
  • The Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and Enterprise Development
  • Relevant County Governments
  • Collaborating private sector and civil society organizations;
  • Academic institutions

Developing Great African Leaders


Contact
Email: ksbdc@strathmore.edu
Cell: +254 (0) 748 666 493