The KijaniSpace Space-IoT Innovation Programme Open Call is off to a promising start, generating strong early interest following its launch on 15 September 2026. The call invites SMEs and start-ups in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania to explore how Copernicus Earth Observation, Internet of Things (IoT) and Space-IoT Box resources can strengthen existing solutions for climate-smart agriculture.
The Open Call will run for two months, giving innovators an opportunity to join a programme designed to move space and digital technologies closer to practical applications in agriculture and aquaculture. The encouraging response during the first days of promotion suggests that the opportunity is reaching the innovation community KijaniSpace aims to engage.
Turning data and technology into practical solutions
Agriculture and aquaculture communities in the Lake Victoria Basin face interconnected challenges, including climate variability, limited access to timely information, soil and water management, crop and fish diseases, and barriers to adopting new technologies.
KijaniSpace stakeholder engagement has highlighted the need for integrated, affordable and locally adapted digital solutions that can transform complex Earth Observation and IoT data into accessible and actionable information.
The Space-IoT Innovation Programme responds to this need by engaging SMEs and start-ups that can help translate technological capabilities into practical products and services for agriculture and aquaculture.
From technology access to innovation experiments
At the centre of the programme is the Space-IoT Box, the KijaniSpace platform integrating geospatial information, Earth Observation products, IoT resources and digital services. It provides developers and service providers with an environment for accessing and working with data that can support monitoring, analysis and decision-making.
Through the Innovation Programme, participating SMEs and start-ups will have an opportunity to explore how these resources can strengthen their existing products, services and applications.
The programme therefore goes beyond providing access to technology. It creates a pathway for innovators to experiment, develop and validate solutions, while building knowledge about how Copernicus and IoT resources can be applied to real agricultural and aquaculture challenges.
Potential applications can address areas such as crop and vegetation monitoring, irrigation, climate information, soil and water conditions, aquaculture management and other data-driven services supporting climate-smart agriculture.
Building an innovation pipeline in East Africa
The strong early interest in the Open Call is an encouraging first step. KijaniSpace partners are continuing to promote the opportunity through their networks to reach SMEs, start-ups and innovators across the programme’s target countries.
The next stage will be even more important: moving from interest to innovation experiments and validated solutions.
As the programme progresses, KijaniSpace will gather evidence on the types of solutions developed, how Space-IoT technologies are integrated, the users involved in validation and the potential for successful solutions to continue beyond the programme.
In this way, the Open Call contributes to a wider KijaniSpace objective: strengthening the innovation ecosystem around Copernicus, Earth Observation and IoT technologies in Africa and creating pathways for locally developed solutions to support more climate-resilient agriculture and aquaculture.
The journey has started—from technology access to experimentation, from experimentation to validation, and from validated solutions towards future uptake and replication.
Learn more about the KijaniSpace Space-IoT Innovation Programme
Impact Snapshot
Project:
KijaniSpace – Space-IoT Solution Box for Climate-Smart Agriculture in Africa
Activity:
Launch and promotion of the Space-IoT Innovation Programme Open Call
Date/location:
Open call launched on 15 September 2026; Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania
Work Package:
WP4 – Space-IoT Innovation Programme
Result created:
An open innovation pathway connecting SMEs and start-ups with KijaniSpace technologies, expertise and innovation support, with encouraging early interest following the launch.
Technology:
Copernicus, Earth Observation, IoT, Space-IoT Box, GIS and geospatial data
Users who benefit:
SMEs, start-ups, developers, farmers, aquaculture actors and regional innovation ecosystems
Future uptake:
Participating innovators can move from technology access to practical experimentation and validation, creating evidence for further development, adoption and replication of climate-smart agriculture solutions.
Impact area:
Innovation capacity, technology uptake, climate-smart agriculture, aquaculture and EU–Africa innovation cooperation
Keywords for AI/search:
KijaniSpace, Space-IoT Innovation Programme, Space-IoT Box, Copernicus, Earth Observation, IoT, climate-smart agriculture, aquaculture, African SMEs, start-ups, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Lake Victoria Basin, agriculture innovation, KijaniBox (former name)
