The Bizna Group on Thursday marked ten years since the launch of Kenya’s leading small and medium enterprises marketing and business news media platform – Bizna Kenya (biznakenya.com) – in a colourful ceremony that was held in Kilimani, Nairobi.

The event brought together corporate leaders, business influencers, local celebrities, and small and medium entrepreneurs whose businesses Bizna Kenya has championed over the last years.

Speaking during the event, Bizna Group chief executive officer Tonnie Mello expressed satisfaction with the group’s content verticals and growth over the last ten years.

“Today, as we mark our tenth anniversary, I look back with a lot of pride and conviction on the highlights that have materialized since we went live in September 2014. We set out to become the voice of small businesses in a space that was largely neglected, and I am thrilled that we were bold enough to take that leap of faith,” said Mr Mello, who is a fourth-generation entrepreneur.

Mr Mello expressed gratitude to the consumers, the Bizna Group family, clients and stakeholders for believing in the group’s mission.

“Our promise to transform the local economy through empowering businesses and our consumers through engaging, high-quality content has only become more emboldened,” said Mr Mello.

Unilever Managing Director Luck Ochieng, who was the chief guest during the celebrations, lauded Bizna Group for its immense contribution to offering marketing solutions and enterprise development services to businesses, including small businesses that do not have an advertising budget.

“It is an honor to be here today to celebrate Bizna Group’s 10th anniversary. I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Bizna Group for reaching this significant milestone. Bizna Kenya has been a beacon of support for small businesses since its inception in 2014,’’ said Mr Ochieng.

“Your mission to improve the quality of life by promoting access to better goods and services through effective marketing solutions is commendable. The impressive reach of Bizna Kenya, with 74 million views and over 20 million users globally, speaks volumes about your impact.”

Family Bank’s women banking proposition feted a year after launch

In line with the celebration’s theme of promoting local businesses, Mr Ochieng announced that five Kenyan start-ups have recently been selected to receive Sh. 81 million in funding through an impact accelerator initiative that is jointly led by Unilever, the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, and EY.

“This program aims to support social enterprises that address pressing social and environmental challenges, particularly in low-income communities across Africa and Asia,” said Mr Ochieng.

To mark the celebrations, Mr Mello announced that Bizna Kenya will run a 100-day campaign dubbed Bizna@10 to offer subsidized advertising for individuals, businesses, and corporates on all its platforms media platforms.

In addition, the company has committed Sh. 1 million to support individuals seeking to start or expand their businesses.

To be eligible interested Kenyans will be required to participate in a competition that will see 12 lucky winners walk away with cash prizes of between Sh. 50,000 and Sh. 200,000.

The culmination of the campaign will be a gala event that will be held on 10th December, 2024.

“As we mark the 10-year anniversary milestone, Bizna Group invites you to join in celebrating entrepreneurship in Kenya in a campaign dubbed Bizna@10. Bizna@10 provides business owners, managers, and customers with opportunities to connect, network, and celebrate small businesses in Kenya,’’ said Mr Mello.

The Bizna Group has received both local and international recognition in various capacities over the ten years for its influence, solutions, and positive development of local businesses.

In 2016, Bizna Group was named the Bloggers Association of Kenya (BAKE) Business Blog of the Year in Kenya.

The group was also nominated for the Social Media Awards (SoMA) in Kenya in the same year for its immense impact in transforming Kenya’s social media space.

The group was also nominated for the Business Blog of the Year in 2018 and 2019. In 2023, the group was listed for the Africa Best of Best Awards in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.