Entrepreneurship
First-time founders & students in Kenya compete for Silicon Valley success.
Aspiring entrepreneurs will use AI tools and additional resources to help take their idea to product, and the winning team in Kenya will be invited to the World Final in Silicon Valley, USA.
Nairobi, 23/01/2026 – It takes one idea to make an impact. Applications are now open in Kenya for Red Bull Basement 2026, the global innovation incubator empowering first-time founders and students from around the globe in their journey of turning an idea into a product, using mentorship and AI-powered tools.
The national winner from Kenya will be invited to an immersive World Final in the tech and entrepreneurial hub of Silicon Valley, USA, where they will compete for a winner’s prize of USD 100,000 in equity-freefunding and a package of resources and tools designed to help them launch their business. Applications close on March 15, 2026.
Red Bull Basement runs as an incubator, in collaboration with Microsoft and AMD, to provide the AI tools, giving participants access to AI-powered tools that help them move from idea to prototype – even without technical or coding experience.
The programme’s impact is already being felt. Since winning the 2024 World Final in Tokyo, Japan, Soj Gamayon of the Philippines has made rapid progress toward launching his idea for Agriconnect, a powerful platform designed to strengthen and connect stakeholders in the agricultural sector. As part of his winner’s package, the innovative entrepreneur was flown to Silicon Valley, where he spent three weeks engaging with industry experts and learning from top mentors in the tech industry.
“What this trip showed me is that I’m a risk taker. It encouraged me to take one huge risk, and that’s always going to be something I learned about myself thanks to Red Bull Basement. This competition changed me as a person,” says Gamayon on his Red Bull Basement experience.
PRIZE
In addition to global media exposure, the World Final winner will receive USD 100,000 in equity-free funding and USD 25,000 in Microsoft Azure credits, as well as mentorship from Red Bull Ventures.
2026 Format
Red Bull Basement 2026 places even greater emphasis on helping a new wave of innovators move from idea to product using a blend of AI-powered tools and human mentorship.
How to enter
Red Bull Basement is open to everyone 18 years of age and older who is a current Kenyan citizen, and the application window is open until March 15, 2026.
Phase 1 – Application: Where it all starts
From January 19 through March 15, 2026, one- or two-member teams from Kenya can visit the Red Bull Basement website to submit their application. If they already have an idea, they’ll answer a short set of questions about it, and if they’re still finding their direction, AI mentors can help them brainstorm an idea based on their interests. Once an applicant submits their idea, they will receive free access to Microsoft 365 Copilot to help refine their proof of concept before a local panel of industry leaders and experts selects the top ideas in the country. Those top teams will then be asked to supply a short video showcasing who they are, and from there, a select 15 teams will be invited to pitch their idea in person on the National Final stage to the local judging panel.
The National Finals will be held on March 28th
Phase 2 – National Finals: Where ideas start to feel real
Teams selected for their National Final will be expected to arrive with a designed prototype. No prior coding experience is required. Applicants will be offered access to GitHub Student Developer Pack and Microsoft Azure credits, to help them describe what they want to build and rapidly turn ideas into working prototypes—even for people without a traditional technical background. They will also need to craft a two-minute pitch, which they will present to a panel of local industry leaders and experts. One team will be selected to represent Kenya at the World Final.
Phase 3 – Development: Where ideas become reality
Taking place from [May 18 through May 30, 2026], the Development Phase is a focused period designed to help national-winning teams turn their app prototype into a Minimum Viable Product (MVP). Teams unlock resources including an AMD AI laptop and additional Microsoft Azure credits to vibe code their prototype design into a functional MVP demo. They’ll also have access to world-class mentors and a global peer community, all to arrive at the World Final with the strongest possible app and a clear, confident story behind it.
Phase 4 – World Final: Where ideas step onto the global stage
From June 1-3, 2026, the national-winning teams will engage in a three-day immersive experience as they bring what they have built to life in Silicon Valley, pitching their MVP to a panel of global judges, venture capitalists, investors and industry leaders. Along the way, they’ll have the chance to gain global visibility and exposure as they access expert mentoring and hands-on feedback, storytelling training, and networking with founders, investors and partners. It all culminates with the announcement of the global winner of Red Bull Basement 2026.
Red Bull Basement is in collaboration with Microsoft, AMD and Red Bull Ventures.
For more information and to apply: https://www.redbull.com/ke-en/events/red-bull-basement-kenya-2026