Nairobi, Kenya – November 12, 2025 — The Nairobi Securities Exchange Plc (NSE) has officially launched the NSE Innovation Lab, a bold new initiative designed to pioneer transformative solutions that will deepen and expand Africa’s capital markets.
The NSE Innovation Lab will serve as the Exchange’s strategic engine for applied innovation – a collaborative space where technology meets market structure to unlock new frontiers in liquidity, efficiency, and financial inclusion.
As part of the launch, the NSE announced that the Hedera Foundation and Hashgraph have become the first strategic technology partners to join the Innovation Lab, marking a major milestone in the Exchange’s mission to build a digitally enabled, globally connected marketplace.
“The NSE Innovation Lab is a catalyst for capital markets transformation,” said Frank Mwiti, Chief Executive of the NSE. “By bringing together innovators, market participants, and global technology pioneers such as the Hedera Foundation and Hashgraph, we are creating a platform for experimentation, learning, and invention that will power the next generation of Africa’s capital markets.”
“We’re deeply proud to collaborate with the NSE to help them in their mission to accelerate the digital transformation of Africa’s capital markets via the Hedera network,” said Gregg Bell, Chief Business Office at HBAR, Inc, a subsidiary of Hedera Foundation SEZC. “As a Hedera Council member, NSE is showcasing the power of this organization to pioneer institutional-grade development across the globe.”
“Partnering with the NSE and Hedera Foundation is an important step toward building more open and trusted financial systems,” said Eric Piscini, CEO of Hashgraph. “By working together, we can use our expertise and assets in tokenization to grow and expand markets in Africa”
Through the Lab, the NSE will design, test, and scale breakthrough solutions that directly advance its 2025–2029 strategy deepening capital markets, expanding retail participation, and unlocking access to finance for SMEs and women-owned enterprises.
The Lab will accelerate innovation in sustainable finance, digital assets, tokenized instruments, and intelligent market data systems, while pioneering new models for regional market connectivity, investor inclusion, and product development. By blending technology with policy foresight, the NSE Innovation Lab will act as a strategic engine for growth, driving Africa’s transition toward more inclusive, liquid, and resilient capital markets.
The NSE further revealed that it is in discussions with other prospective strategic partners, including global technology companies, venture capital funds, incubators, accelerators, academic institutions, and venture studios, to expand the Lab’s ecosystem and accelerate innovation pipelines.
A cornerstone of the NSE’s 2025–2029 strategic vision, the Innovation Lab underscores the Exchange’s commitment to driving digital transformation, broadening market participation, and positioning Kenya as Africa’s innovation gateway for capital markets.
As an active member of the Hedera Council, the NSE continues to guide the global development of decentralized technologies while demonstrating their tangible application in regulated markets
With the launch of the NSE Innovation Lab, the Exchange is not just embracing innovation, it is engineering the future of capital markets in Africa.
-ENDS/