Nairobi: The Government is ready to support innovation and facilitate scaling pathways and the scaling and commercialisation of innovations. This was said by the Principal Secretary of the State Department for Science, Research and Innovation, Prof. Shaukat Abdulrazak, during a meeting held at a Nairobi hotel with Vice Chancellors drawn from over 30 universities.
According to Kenya News Agency, the PS urged all stakeholders to proactively engage in science, research, innovation, and commercialisation to benefit every Kenyan citizen. Prof. Shaukat said his office is setting up a Think-tank of outstanding intellectuals who are authorities in their disciplines to inform and contribute to the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda. He noted that innovations address national challenges, create economic opportunities, and generate youth employment.
The PS announced the inclusion of 11 new universities in the Institutional Commercialisation (IS) Programme, where he highlighted the positive impact of the expansion on Kenya's innovation network and its inclusivity. Prof. Shaukat recognised the insightful presentations on institutional innovation masterplans progress and prospects.
He commended Vice Chancellors who are committed to transforming their institutions into high-impact entrepreneurial institutions by dedicating their time to the Entrepreneurial Leaders Training Programme. PS Shaukat emphasised the relevance of global trends, strategic leadership, and the Entrepreneurial Institutional Maturity Framework (EIMF).
'As a team, we celebrated 14 institutions for their leadership in the Institutional Commercialisation (IS) Programme while applauding the innovative solutions presented during the Pitch Session, manifesting Kenya's ingenuity,' said the PS. In my call to action and our shared national vision, I stressed the importance of continued collaboration to align efforts and accelerate progress towards Kenya's innovation goals.