This listing highlights the KijaniSpace Space-IoT Innovation Programme, a Horizon Europe-supported initiative currently open for applications. It invites SMEs and start-ups in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania to develop climate-smart agricultural solutions in the Lake Victoria Basin, with an emphasis on enhancing existing agriculture-related products and services through Copernicus Earth Observation data, Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, and Space-IoT Box resources.
Programme Overview
• Programme name: KijaniSpace Space-IoT Innovation Programme
• Support mechanism: Horizon Europe-supported initiative
• Target applicants: SMEs and start-ups in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania
• Geographic focus: Lake Victoria Basin
• Core objective: Develop climate-smart agricultural solutions
• Programme approach: Support businesses with existing agriculture-related products, services, or applications to enhance their solutions using Copernicus Earth Observation data, IoT technologies, and Space-IoT Box resources
Funding and Benefits
• Funding amount: Up to €5,000 per innovation experiment
• Funding scope: Selected businesses can receive funding to cover eligible actual costs directly related to approved innovation experiments
• Eligible cost categories:
• Product testing and improvement
• Development of new Copernicus- and IoT-enabled features
• Data collection and user validation
• Technical documentation
• Other related programme activities
• Additional participant benefits:
• Technical training
• Business development support
• Mentorship
• Product and market validation
• Pitch preparation and investment-readiness support
• Participation in the final showcase in Kenya
Who Can Apply
• Legally established and operating SMEs and start-ups in Kenya, Uganda, or Tanzania
• Businesses with an existing agriculture-related product, service, or application
• Applicants proposing an experiment to improve their existing solution using Copernicus, Earth Observation, IoT, or other Space-IoT Box-supported resources
• Applications must be submitted by a single legal entity
• Consortium applications are not eligible
Focus Areas
• Crop monitoring
• Weather and climate services
• Irrigation support
• Farm management
• Crop disease early warning
• Precision agriculture
• Water-quality monitoring
• Fish-farming decision support
• Other climate-smart agriculture solutions
Eligible Countries
• Kenya
• Uganda
• Tanzania
• Applicants must be legally established and operating in one of these countries
Application Timeline
• Application Deadline: 16 October 2026
• Training and Business Development: January–February 2027
• Innovation Experiment Implementation: January–May 2027
• Final Showcase and Programme Closure: By June 2027
The KijaniSpace Space-IoT Innovation Programme provides a structured opportunity for eligible East African SMEs and start-ups to access funding, technical training, mentorship, product validation, and investment-readiness support while advancing climate-smart agriculture solutions. Interested applicants are encouraged to review the official application details and timeline carefully.