Technopolis Development Authority Calls on Kenya's Creative Youth to Design Its New Identity
The Technopolis Development Authority has made a national call inviting Kenya's creative youth to design the logo of the country's newest authority.
The Technopolis Development Authority, formerly Konza Technopolis Development Authority (KoTDA), was established following the enactment of the Technopolis Act, 2026, which repositions the Authority as a state agency giving it an expanded, national mandate. Where the Authority was previously anchored to a single technopolis – Konza Technopolis, Kenya’s flagship smart city- it is now charged with planning, developing, managing and promoting technopolises across the country, placing it at the centre of Kenya's digital economy and innovation agenda.
This shift has created the need for a distinct identity, separate from Konza Technopolis, the flagship smart city under Kenya’s economic blueprint Vision 2030 that the Authority continues to oversee as its anchor project. The new logo must have a national appeal, while retaining the credibility built through Konza Technopolis over more than a decade.
For the development of its new brand identity, the Authority has taken a participatory approach by inviting Kenyan youth to contribute to the process rather than engaging a design house. The initiative specifically seeks to harness the creativity and innovation of Kenya’s youth through the Jitume Digital Enablement Programme, an Authority-led initiative that has already empowered over one million young Kenyans with digital skills, access to digital work opportunities, and pathways into the digital economy. This approach reflects the Authority’s commitment to inclusivity, innovation, and the cultivation of local talent in shaping Kenya’s digital future.
“We are inviting Kenyan youth in the creative community to help shape the identity of the Technopolis Development Authority, an institution that represents where our country is going,” said John Paul Okwiri, Chief Executive Officer of the Technopolis Development Authority. “This is more than a logo competition; it is an opportunity for young designers to shape a national identity for the environments where innovation, enterprise, research and investment can thrive.”
Open for entries now
The competition dubbed, “Designing the Symbol of Kenya's Innovation Future,” is open to creatives and designers aged 18–35 in all 47 counties. Entries are open with the closing date set to be announced in the month of September 2026 on the official competition portal.
Each entry must include a primary logo mark, a black-and-white version, light- and dark-background applications, a concept explanation of no more than 150 words, and three sample applications such as a letterhead, social media profile and building signage. A full brand manual is not required at this stage. The Authority is looking for a strong visual idea with room to grow into a broader institutional identity.
Prizes and mentorship
A total prize fund of KES 1 million has been set aside for the competition, with the winner receiving KES 300,000, while shortlisted entrants will also receive cash prizes, with full details to be published on the competition portal. Beyond the prize money, selected participants will benefit from structured mentorship led by experienced creative professionals, gaining practical exposure to brand identity development, design thinking, and creative entrepreneurship. The initiative is designed to nurture emerging talent and support young designers in building sustainable careers within Kenya’s growing creative economy, in line with Jitume’s broader goal of transforming digital and creative skills into economic opportunities and livelihoods.
The winning logo will be unveiled publicly later this year, marking the formal launch of the Technopolis Development Authority’s new visual identity and its expanded national mandate.
A national mandate for the digital economy
The Technopolis Act, 2026 gives the Authority a strengthened statutory foundation to plan and develop technopolis infrastructure, allocate land to investors, operate a one-stop-shop for regulatory and licensing services, and coordinate research and innovation ecosystems in partnership with universities and the private sector. All existing rights, contracts and obligations of the former Konza Technopolis Development Authority carry over in full.
“Our mandate is not only to manage a city,” Okwiri said. “It is to build and sustain the institutional platform that turns Kenya's investment in technopolises into measurable, broad-based economic value, and this identity will represent that mandate to the country and the world.”
Full competition rules, eligibility requirements, submission specifications, judging criteria and prize details are available at the official competition portal.
Submission Portal: https://www.jitumedmf.co.ke/signup
Competition Brief: https://www.jitumedmf.co.ke/#overview