About Us

Design Innovation Program

This is a hub dedicated to cultivating a design mindset and fuelling the drive to address critical social issues in our communities, as well as inspire entrepreneurship.

Our vision is to nurture socially conscious individuals who possess both design thinking skills and a profound desire to create a positive societal impact.

At the core of our programs and initiatives is the aspiration to empower young individuals with the knowledge and tools necessary to become change-makers within their communities.

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OUR JOURNEY

The Design Innovation Program, initiated in January 2022 as "The Design Thinking and Social Impact Innovation Program" by Ayushi Chandaria, a former McKinsey consultant, was conceived to reintroduce design thinking to Kenya. Ayushi's journey began at Stanford University, where she was first introduced to the transformative potential of design thinking for effective problem-solving. Since then, she has remained committed to promoting this approach within the innovative landscape of Kenya.

In 2022, the program saw its inaugural cohort take flight, providing a dynamic platform for young entrepreneurs to harness the profound impact of design thinking. By July 2022, the top-performing teams from the program had the opportunity to showcase their innovative solutions and gain visibility through a feature in the Standard Newspaper. Among the winning teams, Fasinii, a car lending service, and Purple Health Insurance are currently prototyping their solutions within the market. The program quickly gained experience in engaging university-age participants, typically between 20 and 35 years old, while securing support from sponsors, including the Chandaria Foundation.

Fast forward to June 2023, the program entered its second cohort, selected from a pool of nearly 250 applicants representing diverse backgrounds and a wide range of professional experiences. Furthermore, the program expanded its course offerings, introducing virtual versions of the "Design your Life" program and "Design Boot Camp," a one-day training program on design thinking. These programs are slated for launch in 2024, promising to enhance further the impact of design thinking and social innovation in Kenya.