Kenyan innovation will take centre stage at the United Nations Global Compact Leaders Summit in New York this September after I&M Bank’s TekeTeke solution was selected among only five business innovations worldwide to be showcased at the global event.
The achievement follows the bank’s participation in the UN Global Compact SDG Innovation Accelerator for Young Professionals, a nine-month programme designed to equip young professionals with skills to develop commercially viable solutions to sustainability challenges within their organisations.
Following a competitive national selection process coordinated by Global Compact Network Kenya, TekeTeke emerged as Kenya’s top innovation. The solution will join winning teams from Nigeria, Ghana, the United Kingdom and China at the global showcase, where innovators will present their ideas to business leaders, policymakers and sustainability experts.
The recognition also highlights I&M Bank’s growing culture of innovation, with a second team from the bank finishing among the top three finalists in Kenya.
TekeTeke seeks to address challenges facing Kenya’s rapidly expanding gig economy, particularly limited access to flexible working capital among independent workers. The innovation explores new ways of enabling gig workers to manage cash flow, take advantage of income-generating opportunities, grow their businesses and build greater financial resilience.
The solution was developed by Albert Lumumba, Lucian Ouma, Beyu Anjichi and Jesca Chepkoech, with guidance from programme champions Sidi Katembo-Marambii, Dipna Shah and Eunice R. Gatama throughout the accelerator.
I&M Bank Regional CEO Kihara Maina said the global recognition was a proud moment for both the bank and Kenya, demonstrating the potential of empowering young professionals to address real business and societal challenges through innovation.
“At I&M, we believe sustainable business growth comes from creating solutions that improve lives while strengthening our business, and we are delighted to see our people representing Kenya on the global stage,” Maina said.
Speaking on behalf of the innovation team, Chepkoech said TekeTeke was inspired by the everyday challenges experienced by thousands of gig workers who have income-generating opportunities but often struggle to access flexible working capital.
She said the accelerator encouraged the team to rethink how banking can become more inclusive while developing solutions with both social and commercial value.
The UN Global Compact SDG Innovation Accelerator supports emerging business leaders through workshops, mentorship and global collaboration, enabling participants to transform organisational challenges into scalable solutions aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.
As the 2026 sponsor of the SDG Innovation Accelerator in Kenya, I&M Bank has partnered with Global Compact Network Kenya to support the development of sustainability-driven innovators.
The bank said it will continue supporting the TekeTeke team as it prepares for the New York presentation, positioning Kenyan innovation on a global platform while reinforcing I&M Bank’s commitment to inclusive growth, responsible banking and sustainable business solutions.