Participants during the Workshop on commercializing research/innovation outputs.
Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology’s staff and students have been sensitized to the benefits of commercializing innovative products and services. This was during a one-day Workshop, organized by the Directorate of Science Park Innovation and Incubation Centre (SPIIC), which took place on Monday, 15th May, 2023. The Workshop was facilitated by Mr. Fredrick O. Otswong’o of Fred Otswong’o & Intellectual Property Associates Limited (FOIPAL).
“There has been an increase in Intellectual Properties that have been filed by MMUST staff, which is attributed to the provision of the University Innovation Fund. This is indeed a positive trend and it is evidence that the University is living up to its role as an institution of science, technology and innovation,” pointed out the Registrar (Planning, Research and Innovation), Prof. Alice Ndiema. Prof. Ndiema officially opened the Workshop on behalf of the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Planning, Research and Innovation), Prof Charles Mutai.
Mr. Fredrick Otswong’o took staff and students through the steps of commercializing products and services, where he emphasized on the need to protect Intellectual Properties (IPs). Further, he reiterated that the University’s Intellectual Property Profile has improved. “Till date, MMUST has more than twenty Intellectual Properties and ranks among the top five innovative Universities in terms of the number of IPs in Kenya,” said Mr. Otswong’o.
“In the last two academic years, a total of about fifteen invention disclosure forms have been filled out, showing that MMUST is on the right track to becoming a leading University in terms of innovations filed with the Kenya Industrial Property Institute,” stated the Director, SPIIC, Prof. John Muoma. He thanked the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Solomon Shibairo, as well as the entire University Management, for their continued support for innovation in MMUST.
The participants had an opportunity to listen to the Director, Quality Assurance, Prof. Danstone B. Lilechi, who is also a member of staff in the Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry. Prof. Lilechi has developed a patented shoe polish, currently undergoing Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) approval as he refines the packaging. Shiv-Shoe Polish patent number KE/P/2020/3774 was identified by the Kenya National Innovation Agency (KeNIA), and was slated for a national award in 2022.
The Workshop ended with a resolution to form teams among the participants based on their areas of interest, so that they can share their expertise and fast track innovation processes in the University.
