Implementation of the Kenya Innovation Bridge using Recommender Systems

The main aim of the Kenya Innovation Bridge platform is to provide a digital marketplace enabling innovators, inventors, researchers, and start-ups to showcase their solutions to partners, funders, customers, and users. The goal is to create the linkages that will facilitate the scaling of as many innovations as possible, by attracting appropriate funding and partnerships. The matchmaking and connections made on the platform are under the control of the participating entities where contacts can be exchanged, and discussions continue further outside the platform. The innovation bridge was developed in several stages and the latest upgrade included a revamp of the user interface and addition of the recommender systems. One of the main challenges that the existing platform had was low onboarding from the investors and industry players due to resource and time constraints in the operationalization of the KIB and delayed response to matchmaking requests by users. Another area of concern was low traffic levels from users outside Nairobi and its environs which accounted for 85% of the total users on the website. This created low diversity and representation geographically as well as gender and age gaps. This paper focuses on the process used to develop the platform by adopting a social media approach using a recommender system. Given the evolving nature of digital marketplaces and user expectations, an agile co-design approach allows the platform to adapt quickly to changing requirements, integrate user feedback, and implement increased matchmaking between investors and innovators.