Technopolis Authority calls on young Kenyans to design its new logo /HANDOUTA Sh1 million competition is giving designers aged 18 to 35 a chance to create the new identity of the Technopolis Development Authority.
For a young designer trying to break into Kenya’s competitive creative industry, getting a major client can be difficult.
Now, a government agency is putting a Sh1 million prize fund behind an open call for young creatives to design its new logo.
The Technopolis Development Authority has invited Kenyans aged 18 to 35 from all 47 counties to submit designs for its new visual identity.
The winner will receive Sh300,000, while other shortlisted entrants will also receive cash prizes.
But beyond the money, the competition could give young designers something that is often harder to come by: a real project they can put on their portfolio.
The winning design will become the logo of the Technopolis Development Authority, the agency created under the Technopolis Act, 2026.
“We are inviting Kenyan youth in the creative community to help shape the identity of the Technopolis Development Authority,” said the Authority's Chief Executive Officer, John Paul Okwiri.
“This is more than a logo competition; it is an opportunity for young designers to shape a national identity.”
A job opportunity without a job advert
Unlike a conventional recruitment exercise, the competition does not offer a job.
Instead, it offers young creatives an opportunity to compete for paid work, exposure and mentorship while testing their skills against a real-world brief.
That distinction is important in Kenya’s creative sector, where many young people work freelance or build careers project by project.
For an emerging designer, a commission from a national institution can provide both income and a credential that may help attract future clients.
The competition also includes a mentorship component for selected participants, with sessions expected to cover areas such as brand identity, design thinking and creative entrepreneurship.
The authority says the programme is being linked to its Jitume Digital Enablement Programme, which provides digital skills and access to digital work opportunities.
What are they looking for?
The brief goes beyond simply producing an attractive logo.
Each entrant must submit a primary logo mark together with a black-and-white version and versions showing how the design would appear against light and dark backgrounds.
They must also explain the thinking behind their concept in no more than 150 words.
Three sample applications are required, such as a letterhead, social media profile and building signage.
There is no requirement to submit a full brand manual.
The practical test is whether the idea can work across different formats and still remain recognisable.
Why does the agency need a new logo?
The competition follows a change in the agency’s mandate.
The institution was previously known as the Konza Technopolis Development Authority and was closely associated with Konza Technopolis, the planned smart city in Machakos County.
Following the enactment of the Technopolis Act, 2026, its mandate was expanded beyond Konza.
The Authority is now responsible for planning, developing, managing and promoting technopolises across Kenya.
It will also oversee functions including technopolis infrastructure development, investor support, land allocation and coordination of research and innovation partnerships.
Konza remains its flagship project.
The broader mandate, however, means the Authority wants an identity that is not tied exclusively to one development.
“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.”
For designers, the brief is the opportunity
The competition effectively asks young designers to solve a branding problem that established agencies would ordinarily be paid to handle.
That puts the emphasis on the quality of the idea.
A designer in Nairobi will be competing with creatives from across the country, including those working outside the established commercial centres.
For those trying to build careers in graphic design, branding and the wider creative economy, the competition provides an opportunity to demonstrate how their skills can be applied to an institutional client.
The prize money may attract the attention, but the portfolio value could prove just as important.
The competition is currently open, with the closing date expected to be announced in September through the official competition portal.
The winning design is expected to be unveiled later this year.
Until then, the task is simple on paper: create one logo.
The harder part is creating one that can carry an entire institution.
Entries can be submitted through the Jitume platform at https://www.jitumedmf.co.ke/signup, while the competition brief is also available online at https://www.jitumedmf.co.ke/#overview
