By James Wakahiu
A new innovation and research centre has been
launched at Mount Kenya University (MKU), boosting chances of Kenyan youth
looking for support to develop their technologies and ideas into world class
innovations.
MKU Vice Chancellor Prof Deogratius Jaganyi,
says the university’s research and innovation grants provided earlier have
already produced world-class ideas some of which have already been
commercialised by the beneficiaries. He said the rapid growth that
some developed and developing economies have witnessed can be attributed to
their build-up of innovation capacities.
“These countries recognized that innovation is
not just about high technology products, but that innovation capacity has to be
built early and be embedded in the development process. Research and
development played a key role in the meteoric rise of Asian economies such as
China, India and Korea. They invested heavily in research and development to
support their innovations,” he said.
Photo/Youth Enterprise Development Fund acting CEO, Benson Muthendi (Left) is taken around the Mount Kenya innovation and incubation centre soon after he (Muthendi) launched and dedicated it at MKU main campus in Thika.
The Mount Kenya Innovation and Incubation Hub
was officially opened last weekend in the college’s main campus in Thika town
by Benson Muthendi, acting Chief Executive Officer of the Youth Enterprise
Development Fund. “Kenya’s economic growth is largely as a result of the
translation of ideas, knowledge, and skills into products, services, and
processes. The country’s continued economic competitiveness and sustainable
development have been achieved by intensifying technological innovations,” he
said.
The centre, which was co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the
European Union through the African Higher Education Leadership for Advancing
Inclusive Innovation for Development (AHEAD) project, is intended to support
the life cycle of innovations, from inception to market diffusion and
commercialisation. It will enable scientific findings, knowledge and
intellectual property to flow from creators to the benefit of the community.
Jessee Ndegwa Mwangi was the event’s master of ceremony.
The centre will admit its first cohort of 20 finalists out of a
recently released call for innovation challenge 2022. The innovations will be
incubated for six months at MKU’s Innovation and Incubation Centre and receive
a support value of up-to Sh2 million for all innovations. The incubation
package will include access to the facility, customized coaching by experts,
access to state-of-the art equipment and assistance in intellectual property
protection and commercialization
Photo/MKU innovator, Githinji Gatambu receives the best overall victor’s trophy of the Mount Kenya Innovation Challenge 2022 from Benson Muthendi.
Muthendi called the centre a significant investment set to
create a conducive environment for nurturing youth-developed innovative ideas
to commercially viable businesses that will significantly impact solving
societal problems, creating employment opportunities, and attaining the
country’s economic goal.
“We live in the Information-Knowledge age where new opportunities
are emerging every day, and only those who can learn and adapt will gain a
competitive advantage. This hub will provide an environment for collaborative
learning among students, professors, and researchers from various
disciplines. Bringing them together in a conducive atmosphere to
interact and share ideas will inspire innovations, new skills, and knowledge
needed in the 21st century,” said the CEO
During the final of the 2022 Innovation Challenge, Githinji
Gatambu won the top award out of the 20 shortlisted finalists who showcased
their innovations during the event held at the Mwai Kibaki Convention Centre.
Gatambu’s presentation was on waste plastic management in the real estate
sector. Nthuku Mumo was the first runners-up position while Margret Wambui
Wahome came third.
An investor, Dr Josephat Karanja, urged the young innovators to
seek guidance and mentorship from their peers. He said if they wanted to
succeed they should be patient.
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Photo/Youth Enterprise Development Fund acting CEO, Benson Muthendi cuts a cake to commemorate his opening of Mount Kenya Innovation and Incubation Centre. Looking on are MKU Co-founder Doctor Jane Nyutu and the university Pro-Chancellor Doctor Vincent Gaitho.
MKU founder and board chairman, Prof Simon Gicharu described innovation
as a new or significantly improved product or services which may involve a new
or improved technology with a potential to have a positive contribution to an
organisation or to the lives of the society in general. “MKU is a
research-based university; we have established this innovation and incubation
center to offer an open space to nurture creativity and innovation. The center
will support collaboration, idea generation and value creation,” he added.
The hub is expected to offer a creative environment to unlock
infinite opportunities for innovations that may be disruptive or incremental in
nature from ideation to commercialization. “The innovation space
encourages inclusion through collaboration. MKU innovation and incubation
center will be a platform for connections and networks,” said the chairman.
Decrying rampant unemployment in Africa, Prof Gicharu said job
creation will benefit greatly from promotion of innovation centers. He
therefore encouraged the youth to be driven by passion and inspiration in the
world of creativity and take the full advantage of the new hub and similar
facilities that have been established in Kenya and in the region. “Let us
strive to come up with innovations that can be patented,” he said.
MKU Pro-Chancellor, Dr Vincent Gaitho said the launch marks a
great milestone in the university’s commitment to achieve Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) by providing a platform for innovation, especially SDG
9 on “Industries, Innovation & Infrastructure ”. The United Nations SDG 9
states that inclusive and sustainable industrialization, together with
innovation and infrastructure, can unleash dynamic and competitive economic
forces that generate employment and income.
Gaitho said the high unemployment rate among youths graduating
from our higher institutions of learning calls for more innovative ways that
enhance productivity and demand for an enlightened labour force. “Harnessing
the innovation potential of the youth can drive the economy to double digit
growth in a short time,” he said.
The pro-chancellor said Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) is
keen in supporting the government initiatives geared towards reducing
unemployment. “The MKU council is therefore keen to support this facility that
was envisioned in the 2020-2029 University Strategic Plan,” he added.
The university recently hosted The Second Peace Conference that
brought together stakeholders from different sectors including academia,
industry, government and non-governmental sectors. The conference provided a
platform to discuss how various sectors contribute to the creation of a
peaceful country. Indeed without peace, little, if any, innovations can take
place.
According to Muthendi, the Kenya Vision 2030 seeks to transform
Kenya into a middle-income economy, and the blueprint recognises research and
innovation as critical drivers for economic growth and development. “The Kenya
Youth Development Policy – 2019 identifies the youth as the strength, wealth,
and driver of innovation in Kenya. The youth policy further calls for
deliberate and systematic efforts to appropriately equip and empower them to
attain and realize their full potential and attain Kenya’s economic development
plan,” he added.
Muthendi said the centre proves the University as an aspiring
and forward-thinking learning institution. It is a testimony to its endeavour
to be a global hub of excellence in education, research, and innovation. The
Youth Enterprise Development Fund is honoured to witness this milestone and is
more than proud to be associated with this University.
The Youth Enterprise Development Fund (YEDF) is one of the
strategies established by the government of Kenya in the year 2006 to promote
entrepreneurship among young people. It provides affordable financial and
business development services to youth interested in business as a career path
and a means to earn a living.
The Fund provides loans for startups, business expansion, asset
financing, agribusiness, talent development, and LPO/LSO financing. It also
offers business support services that include market support and linkages,
entrepreneurship training and mentorship, commercial infrastructure, and
facilitates youth to take up job opportunities abroad.
The Fund has, since inception, supported more than two million
youth with loans worth Sh14.2 billion and assisted 800,000 youth with business
development services.
“The beneficiaries have grown their enterprises, thus creating
value and job opportunities for themselves and others. In addition, the Fund
has enhanced their confidence to borrow, with many of them graduating to
borrowing from commercial banks,” said Muthendi.
“Our experience working with the youth is that they are
creative, tech-savvy, have a strong desire for knowledge, are well educated,
and are highly ranked globally in innovation. Indeed, they have been at the
forefront of developing solutions to our country’s challenges. We can concur
that they demonstrated their creativity when they came up with inventions to
address challenges brought about by the Covid 19 pandemic,” he noted.
The Youth Fund developed its 3rd Strategic Plan covering
2020-2024. The blueprint emphasizes promoting youth-owned business innovations
to stimulate a culture of innovation, address societal problems and alleviate
poverty. The Fund will achieve this through collaborations and strategic
partnerships with other key agencies and stakeholders.
