Sote Hub

Becoming a Blue Incubator

Last week, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Dar es Salaam, we joined over 24 innovation hubs in Tanzania and several ecosystem stakeholders for the Blue Incubation Workshop: "Building Blue Incubators: Unlocking Tanzania's Blue Economy" organised under the BIC Africa programme.

Our Director, David Ogiga, shared Sote Hub's own lighthouse story, our journey into the blue economy, the storms we navigated, and the lessons that shaped us into what we are today. It was a rare moment of honest, practitioner-led storytelling.

Our Head of Innovations, Kenneth Njihia, took the meeting through the full blueprint from what it truly means to become a Blue Hub, to the models, support systems, impact measurement frameworks, stakeholder mapping tools, and the certification pathway that can help hubs across the continent position themselves credibly within the blue economy.

We had an enriching presentation from Juliana Kayombo, Advisor, Access to Finance and Business Incubation Services, Stawi Bluu (Prosper Blue), on the projects, enduring legacy of GIZ in the blue economy spaces, and the many opportunities to look out for ahead.

Special recognition goes to Lamine Diallo, Head of Sector at the EU Delegation to Tanzania, for his support and commitment to advancing innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainable Blue Economy development across the region

Appreciating Robert Sanders and EBN-European Business and Innovation Centre Network for creating the platform for this convening and to the partners, the European Union, GIZ Tanzania (STAWIBLUU).

Keep it here for more in the coming days.

European Union in Kenya Ennovate Ventures University of Dar es Salaam

Following the 11th Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa, Sote Hub is proud to continue the momentum by participating in the 5th Edition of the Ocean Festival, organized by Alliance Française. As part of our commitment to ocean conservation and community action, we will be hosting a Beach Clean-Up Activity at Kenyatta Kijani Beach.

📅 20th June 2026
⏰ 6:30 AM – 8:00 AM
📍 Kenyatta/Kijani Beach, Mombasa

This is an opportunity for all of us to turn dialogue into action by protecting our coastline and raising awareness about the importance of keeping our oceans free from pollution. Whether you're passionate about the environment, the Blue Economy, or simply want to contribute to a cleaner coastline, you're welcome to join us.

✅ No registration required
✅ Open to everyone
✅ Just show up and be part of the movement

Together, let's protect our ocean, preserve our beaches, and build a more sustainable future for generations to come.

Union in Kenya French Embassy in Kenya and Somalia Marine and Fisheries Research Institute

🌊 World Ocean Day 2026 🌊

Today, we join the global community in celebrating our oceans and reaffirming our commitment to protecting the ecosystems that sustain livelihoods, biodiversity, and economic growth.

Protecting our ocean requires collective action:
♻️ Reduce, reuse, and recycle waste responsibly
🌱 Support sustainable Blue Economy enterprises
🌊 Participate in beach and ocean conservation activities
🐢 Protect marine habitats such as mangroves, coral reefs, and seagrass ecosystems
🤝 Advocate for stronger environmental stewardship within our communities

At Sote Hub, we believe that a thriving Blue Economy starts with healthy oceans. Through entrepreneurship support, innovation, community engagement, and environmental conservation initiatives, we continue to champion sustainable solutions that protect our marine environment for future generations.

This World Ocean Day, let us remember that the future of our ocean depends on the choices we make today. Together, we can build cleaner coastlines, healthier marine ecosystems, and a more sustainable future for all.

Meet the innovative entrepreneurs transforming the fisheries value chain through sustainable and impactful solutions. Through the Bahari Innovation Challenge program, these startups are driving innovation across fisheries through fish farming, cold chain solutions, fish feed processing, and sustainable aquaculture practices that promote economic growth and resilient coastal livelihoods.

Through creativity and innovation, these enterprises are unlocking new opportunities within the Blue Economy while empowering coastal communities, creating jobs, improving food security, and advancing environmentally sustainable solutions across the fisheries sector.

The Bahari Innovation Challenge is implemented by Sote Hub in both Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar, supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH Tanzania ProsperBlue Project, commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)

The journey toward building an inclusive and thriving Blue Economy in Kwale County is well underway.

The BlueBiz Program, funded by the Mastercard Foundation and implemented by TechnoServe in partnership with Sote Hub, is equipping 1,000 young people particularly women, persons with disabilities, and refugees with practical entrepreneurship and technical skills to unlock opportunities in the fisheries and tourism sectors.

Over a 16-week training period, participants are developing competencies in fish processing, cold chain management, hospitality, tour guiding, water sports, cultural tourism, and business management. They are also being linked to finance, markets, and enterprise growth opportunities through the Bahari Boost Challenge Fund.

As implementation progresses, the initiative is nurturing a new generation of entrepreneurs and community leaders driving sustainable livelihoods, inclusive growth, and innovation across the coastal Blue Economy ecosystem.

Mastercard Foundation TechnoServe

🚨 Happening TODAY! 🚨

Are you an SME owner or entrepreneur looking to grow your business digitally? This is for you!

Join the Digital Business Learning Info Session today and discover how the program can help unlock new opportunities, strengthen your digital skills, and support your business growth journey.

🗓️ Date: 26th May 2026
⏰ Time: 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
📍 Venue: Online (https://bit.ly/49jxkeU)

Come learn, connect, and take the next step toward building a stronger digital business future. Don’t miss out!

This year marks a historic moment. The 11th Our Ocean Conference is coming to Africa for the very first time, and Mombasa is playing host. Under the theme “Our Ocean, Our Heritage, Our Future,” the Conference places Africa’s ocean leadership, coastal communities, innovation ecosystem, and Blue Economy potential firmly on the global stage.

Sote Hub has been at the forefront of ocean innovations with steady impacts in Kenya and Tanzania. We will be involved in many sessions.
💠 14 -15 June: IOC Africa Extraordinary
💠 14 June: Youth Summit
💠 15th June- Business Forum
💠 16th to 18th June- Main Conference
💠 17th June- Exclusive invite only Bahari Cocktail hosted by Sote Hub
💠 Workshop: Investing in African Women in Ocean Food cohosted with Hatch Blue
💠 Workshop: Bridging Africa’s Ocean Innovation Continuum- co-hosted with 1000 Ocean Startups & Ocean Hub

Will you be coming to Mombasa? Please get in touch for a meeting for collaborations or just to catch up.

Equity Bank Kenya

The Convergence Fika Series: Blue and Green Meets Policy brought together founders, policymakers, and ecosystem builders for a powerful conversation on how blue and green innovations can drive climate-resilient growth across East Africa.

A special thank you to our insightful panelists: Dennis Onkangi, Founder, Kuza Freezer ™, Charles Ayako, Coast Regional Coordinator, Ministry of Youth, Jane Wanyoike, Equity Bank Limited, Mercy Mghanga, Founder, CWIFE Seafood Supply, who unpacked the policy and financing challenges affecting the blue and green sectors.

The discussions highlighted critical issues, including limited access to finance for women entrepreneurs, high taxation, policy gaps within the Fisheries Act, challenges around unlicensed artisanal fishing, foreign vessel regulation gaps, and the continued underrepresentation of women in policy conversations despite women driving nearly 90% of trade within the sector.

With Kenya’s vast 230,000 km² Blue Economy holding immense potential, the dialogue reinforced the urgent need for stronger policies, inclusive financing, sustainable investment, and collaborative action to unlock opportunities for communities, entrepreneurs, and future generations

Elevate Blue – Tanzania 🌊

The Elevate Blue incubation program is underway at the Tanzania Commission for Science & Technology (COSTECH) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, bringing together 24 innovative entrepreneurs for an intensive training focused on strengthening sustainable businesses in the Blue Economy.

This week (13th–14th), participants are currently undergoing practical financial management training led by trainer Lucy, equipping them with essential skills in financial planning, business sustainability, and growth strategies needed to scale their ventures successfully.

The training continues to create a dynamic learning environment where startups are building stronger foundations, refining their business models, and preparing to unlock new opportunities within the blue economy and marine sustainability sectors. We are excited to see the innovative ideas and solutions emerging from this incredible cohort across Tanzania

Elevate Blue is an entrepreneurial support program, designed as an end-to-end targeting activation and stimulation for innovations, growth, and access to finance and market for businesses in the Blue Economy and Marine Litter

Many thanks to our partners Norad and MTI Investment for the exciting journey ahead and their continued support

Norad