BY KEN MWENDA
Maimonides famously said, "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime," highlighting the enduring value of education.
This insight places universities, colleges, and vocational institutions in a crucial role, to equip students with the skills needed for long-term career success and pave the way for future generations of entrepreneurs and innovators.
There is a need for institutions of higher learning to be equipped with the facilities, environment, and opportunities necessary to inspire students and foster new ideas that could commercialise into billion-dollar startups.
As of 2022, Kenya boasts of about 308 active startups, and is among the big four startup ecosystems, alongside Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa.
Undeniably, entrepreneurship and innovation can be positioned as a tool for young people to act as societal history makers and make a difference in the lives of people around them.
Furthermore, it is evident that the innovation economy is driving monumental changes across the globe, reshaping industries, altering labor markets, and revolutionising people’s daily lives and Kenya is not an exception.
One of the most vivid examples here in Kenya is the transformation within the retail industry. Traditional brick-and-mortar stores are facing disruption with ecommerce giants such as Jumia, Jiji, Kilimall, and Glovo among others.
These e-commerce giants harness digital technology, big data, and customer insights to create personalised shopping experiences, making shopping more convenient and efficient.
Today, intangible assets such as ideas, innovation and intellectual capital form the cornerstone of economic value. Moreover, there is a need for the country to have innovation execution as a core ability to build and to win the creative economy.
In fact, the annual Commercialisation and Entrepreneurial Institutions Leaders’ Summit abbreviated as CEIL Summit under the Kenya Innovation Agency held late last year discussed in depth the landscape of entrepreneurship and innovation in Kenya’s higher learning institutions.
This can only happen through building industry-academia partnerships, mobilising resources, fostering multidisciplinary collaboration, and aligning with global networks.
Actually, CEIL Summit has the potential to empower students in institutions of higher learning to become entrepreneurs and innovators who will drive Kenya’s economic future.
The time is ripe for universities and TVETs to emerge as the epicenters of innovation, with the summit serving as a key milestone in achieving that vision.
Undoubtedly, ideas without commercialisation are a hobby and true innovators are not in the hobby business.
For our country, the real challenge isn’t just in nurturing innovation—it’s in turning those innovations into marketable solutions that generate jobs, create wealth, and drive sustainable economic growth.
Kenya currently ranks 100th out of 132 economies in the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2023, according to the World Intellectual Property Organisation.
To improve this ranking in 2024 and beyond, the government, alongside institutions like Ajira Digital Programme, a government digital catalyst intervention championed by its partners eMobilis, Mastercard Foundation and KEPSA and other ecosystem players, must focus on strengthening innovation capacity.
Initiatives such as the Ajira Clubs in the institutions of higher learning which are communities of digital remote workers can be entrenched and empowered to initiate and execute market-driven innovations to stimulate job opportunities and wealth geared towards economic posterity. This includes fostering an environment conducive to the development of marketable ideas, supporting their transformation into products, and ensuring their widespread diffusion. Additionally, enhancing collaboration, investment in research, and promoting intellectual property rights will be key to advancing Kenya's GII position.
Kenya's rise in the Global Innovation Index (GII) highlights its growing commitment to innovation, but further progress hinges on boosting research and development (R&D) and commercialisation efforts. Strengthening institutions like Ajira clubs, TVETs, and universities is key to improving factors the GII measures, such as R&D, infrastructure, and market sophistication.
Through investing in Research and Development, enhancing university-industry linkages, and developing intellectual property (IP) frameworks, Kenya can foster innovations that attract foreign investment, boost exports, and drive economic growth. With a stronger focus on these areas, these institutions can become vital hubs of entrepreneurship and innovation.
Emerging digital technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, blockchain, and 5G are transforming institutions by driving innovation and entrepreneurship.
At the institutional level, these technologies enable the creation of new business models, enhance service delivery, and streamline operations by immersing learners in hands-on training to develop innovative prototypes to solve real life problems.
For instance, universities and TVETs can leverage digital tools to develop solutions like open banking and e-learning platforms, fostering a culture of innovation. This digital transformation will not only boost institutional efficiency but also create opportunities for entrepreneurship, and positioning Kenya as a leader in Africa's growing digital economy.
Kenya's innovation economy is anchored on five pillars: Digital Infrastructure, Digital Government, Digital Business, Innovation-Driven Entrepreneurship, and Digital Skills, as outlined in the ICT Policy 2019-2022 and Digital Master Plan 2022-2032. Like Silicon Valley, Kenya’s "Silicon Savannah" is driving entrepreneurship and innovation through tech hubs like iHub and M-Pesa's global fintech success. This ecosystem has fostered solutions in agriculture, health, and financial inclusion.
In order to sustain this growth, there is a need to enhance funding, improve digital infrastructure, and strengthen university-industry partnerships, ensuring a thriving environment for the next generation of innovators right at the institutions of learning.
Government initiatives as Catalysts for Marketable Innovation
Governments worldwide, including Kenya, play a key role in supporting the innovation economy through fostering research, entrepreneurship, and business-friendly environments.
Kenya’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda prioritises the Digital Superhighway, with initiatives like Ajira Clubs, Jitume Labs, Ajira Youth Empowerment Centres (AYECs) and Talanta Hela serving as incubators for innovation in higher learning institutions.
Ajira clubs are already nurturing innovation among youth through resources and mentorship, but stronger partnerships with industry players are needed to grow the digital economy. Moreover, these platforms provide practical training in product development and market analysis, helping young people turn their ideas into commercial ventures.
The Role of TVETs and Universities in Innovation Ecosystems
The Universities and the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions are crucial to Kenya's innovation agenda, providing the knowledge and talent needed for growth. By integrating entrepreneurship and commercialisation into their curricula, these institutions can equip students with both technical skills and business acumen.
Collaboration between TVETs, universities, and initiatives like Ajira Digital Programme can create a seamless pathway from idea generation to market-ready innovations.
Success stories like Taita Taveta University and Jomo Kenyatta University tissue-culture banana seedlings, mobile phone applications development at eMobilis Technology Training Institute and Strathmore University's fintech solutions highlight this potential.
Industries must support these efforts through funding, mentorship, internships, and partnerships to ensure innovations are commercially viable. This can be achieved by entrenching the concept of maturing entrepreneurial institutions through assessment of their entrepreneurial capacity and developing a roadmap for improvement in these and institutions.
The Entrepreneurial Institutions Maturity Framework (EIMF) is a structured approach to help universities become entrepreneurial hubs. The EIMF evaluates five key dimensions of entrepreneurial capacity, including: leadership and governance, infrastructure, human capital, policies and strategies, entrepreneurial education, linkages.
Long-Term Impact of Innovation Commercialisation on Job and Wealth Creation
The commercialisation of innovation especially at the institutional level holds immense potential for job and wealth creation in Kenya.
As innovative ideas are transformed into marketable products and services, new industries and markets emerge, creating jobs across the value chain—from research and development to manufacturing, marketing, and distribution. This process also fosters entrepreneurship, as individuals and small businesses capitalise on new opportunities created by these innovations.
In the long term, successful commercialisation will lead to the development of high-growth sectors, such as technology, renewable energy, and biotechnology among others, which are crucial for diversifying Kenya's economy. By building a robust ecosystem that supports innovation and commercialisation, Kenya will complement its reliance on traditional sectors like agriculture and tourism, and position itself as a leader in emerging industries. Furthermore, the wealth generated from commercialised innovations will be reinvested into the economy, fueling further innovation and development.
This cycle of innovation, commercialisation, and reinvestment will drive sustainable economic growth, reduce unemployment, and improve the overall standard of living for Kenyans.
In conclusion, Kenya stands at a critical juncture in its journey toward becoming a global leader in innovation. By strategically positioning Ajira clubs, TVETs, universities, and other ecosystem drivers and stakeholders should focus on the commercialisation of innovation, and entrepreneurship.
The country will stand a chance to unlock new opportunities for job creation, wealth generation, and economic diversification.
As Kenya continues to improve its GII ranking, the long-term impact of a strong innovation ecosystem will be felt across all sectors of society, ensuring a prosperous future for all Kenyans.
The writer is the Managing Director and Co-Founder eMobilis Technology
Training Institute
