Kenya's iHub is probably Africa's best-known incubator hub but in recent times the shine has come off the chrome. A recent buy-out by an impact investor and a recasting of how it does what it does in a new building opens a new chapter. Russell Southwood spoke to iHub's Chair Kamal Bhattacharya and its new Director of Sales and Development Njoki Gichinga.
iHub may not have been the first incubator hub on the continent but it soon became one of the most well known. The founders of Ushahidi and iHub- most notably Erik Hersman and Juliana Rotich- drew international attention and visitors to the building and its work. With Kenya's aspirational tag line Silicon Savannah, iHub became - whether it wanted to or not - part of the unrelenting hype cycle. Kenyan visits from President Obama and Mark Zuckerberg were great for raising profile but they didn't pay the rent.
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