Innovating in Crises - Rising to the Challenge

What does it take to innovate in some of the world's most challenging contexts? On March 5th, we invite you to join humanitarian innovators, funders and private sector partners to explore that question, and work together on the solutions; from how we innovate for an uncertain future, to how we scale the approaches that are working.

Throughout the day, you’ll gain insight into concrete humanitarian innovations and how you can contribute to scaling their impact. You will have the opportunity to create an idea addressing a real humanitarian challenge, developed alongside other participants, and receive practical insights from experienced practitioners on shaping the future of humanitarian response through innovation, partnership, and systems thinking.

The day brings together a diverse group of actors working across humanitarian response and innovation. Participants include humanitarian practitioners and innovators advancing solutions in crisis contexts; social enterprises and entrepreneurs; donors and funders exploring new financing pathways; and private-sector partners engaging in humanitarian innovation.

The mix is intentionally cross-sector, creating space for meaningful exchange, new connections, and collaboration across traditional boundaries, bringing together people who design, fund, deliver, and scale humanitarian solutions.

Innovating in crises challenges us to take risks, adapt quickly, and develop solutions under extreme conditions. During this event, you will hear from people driving change and delivering impact in new ways, explore practical examples of innovation in action; and work alongside peers from different sectors to tackle live challenges submitted by ongoing projects, not just hypothetical case studies.

9:00-9:15 | Welcome

9:15-9:45 | Opening / Welcome Speech
Therese Uppstrøm Pankratov, Head of the Humanitarian Innovation Programme

Siv Catherine Moe, Norway's Ambassador to Kenya

9:45-10:00 | Keynote Speech – Bernard Chiira, Assistive Technologies for Disability Trust (AT4D) and partner in UNICEF’s project NIKO

10:00-10:15 | SESSION 1: HIP-Heists and Logistics for the day

10:15-11:00 | Panel Discussion:
Bridging Mandates and Markets: Financing Humanitarian Innovation at the Frontier

How do we bridge humanitarian mandates and local market realities at the earliest, riskiest stages of innovation? This panel explores how tailored financial instruments and partnership models are being designed to de-risk and scale humanitarian innovations in refugee contexts - where ticket sizes are small, stakes are high, and conventional investment logic falls short.

Panelists:

• Maggie Korde, Chief Innovation Officer, Save the Children
• Teresia Wakahia, Director of Business Growth Services Kenya, Inkomoko
• Alistair Cowan, Head of Programmes Kenya DRC, Refugee Investment Facility (RIF)
• Samuel Binja, Founder and Director, Kalobeyei Initiatives for better Lives (KI4BLI)

11:15-12:15 | Pioneer Spotlight
Real-world solutions from the frontlines of innovation

• ADRA and Response Innovation Lab: Financial Innovation and Resource Mobilization in Somalia
• IOM: Scaling E-waste and Energy Access Circular Models
• UNICEF: LAAHA – A digital safe space for women and girls
• Save the Children's Kumwe Hub - Bridging the digital divide
• WFP & Omia: SOLAR: Solarizing Livelihoods Activities with Refugees

12:15-13:00 | Panel Discussion:
Becoming Investible: What It Takes to Attract Investment in Fragile Markets

What does it really take for humanitarian innovations to attract serious investment? This panel brings together investors, UN agencies and ecosystem builders to examine investment strategies, risk appetite, and the conditions needed for capital to flow into fragile and displacement-affected contexts.

Panelists

• Maria Pauline (Ina) Mogollon, Head of Venture Capital, Impact Fund DK
• Victoria Sabula, CEO, AECF
• Marc Kaeraa, Innovation Manager, UNICEF
• Rosemary Gatahi, Senior Innovation Manager, WFP Kenya
• Kevin Ricky Mwasigwa, Senior Manager Ventures, Safaricom

13:00-14:00 | Lunch

14:00–16:00 | Ideation & Problem‑Solving Session \ Facilitated co‑creation with HIP teams and external guests

16:00–16:30 | Closing Inspiration – Emilie Skogvang and Ragnhild Nauste, Innovation Norway’s Humanitarian Innovation Programme

Read more about the Humanitarian Innovation Programme here.

For more information, please contact us: