Nairobi Securities Exchange Launches new Innovation Lab with the Hedera Foundation and Hashgraph - A Landmark Move to Redefine Africa's Capital Markets

NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- 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 Nairobi Securities Exchange (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 Nairobi Securities Exchange 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. , 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.

About NSE

The Nairobi Securities Exchange is the principal securities exchange in Kenya. It offers a world class trading facility for local and international investors and issuers looking to gain exposure to Kenya's and Africa's economic growth.

NSE plays a vital role in the growth of Kenya's economy through mobilization of domestic resources and international capital. The NSE is a founder member of the African Securities Exchanges Association and the East African Securities Exchanges Association. It is a full member of the World Federation of Exchanges and the Association of Futures Markets, and a partner Exchange in the United Nations Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative (SSE). NSE operates under the regulatory jurisdiction of the Capital Markets Authority of Kenya.

About Hedera Foundation

Hedera Foundation accelerates the development, impact and adoption of the Hedera network. The Foundation provides grants, subject matter expertise, and ecosystem support to help developers build applications across tokenization, DeFi, AI, and sustainability sectors. The team spans engineering, marketing, business development, and finance to empower entrepreneurs and organizations to innovate on the Hedera network.

About Hashgraph

 Hashgraph (formerly Swirlds Labs) is a rapidly growing software company comprising world-renowned leaders and builders in web2 and web3 that was founded with the mission to invent decentralized technology that fosters and connects private and public networks of value. With a global presence spanning over 20 countries, Hashgraph spearheads Hedera's product innovation and technical development of the codebase to advance Hedera as the trust layer of the digital economy. For more information, visit hashgraph.com

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Boniface Mbogo
Manager - Branding, Marketing and Communications
Nairobi Securities Exchange PLC
Email: [email protected]/ [email protected]
+254 (020) 283 1000
Nairobi Securities Exchange
55 Westlands Road, P O Box 43633  - 00100

Nairobi Kenya www.nse.co.ke

SOURCE Hedera Foundation; NSE