Training to aid researchers cash in on findings

Pupils use computers at Kilimani Primary School in Nairobi. Kenya has been named as one of the countries in the developing world with rich local content. FILE 

By Training to aid researchers cash in on findings
  

 

Strathmore University, the Kenya Medical Research Institute, and an American instituion have teamed up in a training programme to commercialise research.

The joint plan targets scientists and entrepreneurs  to help them apply research findings in business development as well as monetise study outcomes and translate them into viable products.

The six-month course was developed by Strathmore, Kemri and the US-based International Institute for Biotechnology Entrepreneurship.

Knowledge base

“This is more of an executive programme dealing with research and innovations aimed at tackling common business challenges through implementation  of the technology,’’ said bio-entrepreneurship programme director Robert Karanja at the launch of the course at Strathmore in Nairobi on Thursday.

“Kenya is endowed with robust knowledge base in the life sciences, however, this enviable resource remains largely untapped  and poorly articulated  into the national economy,’’ added Mr Karanja who is also a  scientist at Kemri.

Enrolment for the programme is set to start in June next year.

Recently, a US tech firm, IBM Africa Lab, launched an innovation hub at Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Nairobi.