In March 2025, Nairobi became a global hub of innovation, connection, and transformation as Miller Center for Global Impact hosted its first-ever Entrepreneur Summit. This landmark event brought together 40 high-impact social entrepreneurs from around the world — not to pitch, plan, or polish decks, but to pause, reflect, and build community.
Unlike Miller Center’s traditional In-Residence programs, which focus on investment readiness and business planning, the Summit was designed by entrepreneurs, for entrepreneurs. Co-created with Miller Center’s Entrepreneur Advisory Council, the three-day experience focused on the person behind the enterprise — offering a rare chance to connect as peers, leaders, and humans navigating complex challenges.
The Summit opened with two immersive bonding experiences: a hike up Mt. Longonot or a safari through Nairobi National Park, grounding the group in Kenya’s natural beauty and setting the tone for authentic relationship-building. The next two days featured entirely peer-led sessions, with topics ranging from leadership failures (shared with honesty and humor) to capital-raising strategies, and sector-based collaborative problem-solving exercises.
One standout feature: a “brain trust” session where entrepreneurs worked together on real-time challenges across sectors and geographies — reminding everyone of the wealth of collective knowledge within the network. Another highlight was a funder happy hour, where over 30 funders including DRK Foundation, AlphaMundi Foundation, Beyond Capital Ventures, and the Global Innovation Fund mingled with the entrepreneurs in a relaxed, relational setting.
The Summit was hosted at the Nairobi office of Untapped, a fellow Miller Center enterprise, and exemplified the shift in Miller Center’s strategy. It marked a move from a model centered around our accelerator to cultivating an interconnected, thriving community of entrepreneurs, which also includes mentors, funders, Santa Clara University students, and faculty — all working together to create systemic change.As Miller Center advances its 2030 strategy, the Entrepreneur Network is emerging as a core pillar: a dynamic platform where entrepreneurs not only receive support but also give back, lead, and shape the future of impact. The Summit was a powerful signal of what’s to come — a living example of how collective leadership, peer knowledge, and community can drive scalable, lasting solutions to poverty and climate challenges worldwide.
