Kenya National Innovation Agency (KeNIA)

A useful or successful product is not automatically patentable. The WIPO-KeNIA Executive Programme|| Day Two The participants continued with two insightful sessions led by Dr. Rose Mboya, Head of Industrial Linkages, Policy and Intellectual Property at Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI), on turning research results into defensible #IP decisions. In the first session, on #Patentability, #Disclosure Discipline and #IP Mining, participants explored the three tests of #patentability, learned how to uncover inventions hidden in research outputs and saw why protecting an invention before publishing it is critical. In the last session, a hands-on practical on #Invention Disclosure and Search Strategy, participants built a patent search strategy from scratch, from defining the invention and extracting keywords and synonyms, to constructing Boolean search strings, identifying IPC codes and running live searches in #WIPO PATENTSCOPE. Together, the sessions showed that sound IP decisions begin with early action, disciplined disclosure and a systematic prior art search. #KeNIA #WIPOKENIAEXECUTIVEPROGRAM2026 #EnablingInnovation #WIPO

WIPO-KeNIA Executive Programme|| Day Two The second day opened with an engaging session as groups presented the assignments given using the knowledge they got in day one. Using the IP Diagnostic Tool, each group had interrogated its own business, project or innovation and presented the protectable and valuable assets it had identified. Groups also explained how they ranked these assets to set their protection priorities and how they worked through the protection decision matrix, weighing each priority asset against subject matter, novelty, secrecy, speed, market, cost and disclosure risk. Additionally, each group walked through their reasoning and chosen approaches and participants were able to see how the same tool and criteria applied to different assets and circumstances. The exercise put the previous day's teaching into practice, turning concepts into practical, asset-specific decisions. #KeNIA #WIPOKENIAEXECUTIVEPROGRAM2026 #EnablingInnovation #WIPO

WIPO-KeNIA Executive Programme|| Day One We started off with a session on Kenya's #IP policy architecture, institutional mandates and how policy underpins the IP-to-value pathway nationally led by Jenner Akwale an #Intelectual Property expert. He showed why Kenya needs the IP policy as only 5.6% of #patent applications come from universities and research institutions and under 20% of universities, research bodies and TVETs have an IP policy. This leaves many innovations stuck in the "valley of death" between research and market. The session also covered what the draft policy proposes, including technology transfer offices, institutional IP policies and new funding for IP protection. Clarisse Mideva an Intellectual Property expert then led participants through the IP toolkit and their own WIPO IP Diagnostic findings. She covered #patents, #trademarks, industrial designs, #copyright and trade secrets, when a patent may not be the best option, who owns what employees and contractors create, licensing and how to take IP across borders and defend it. The day ended with a hands-on lab where mixed teams mapped the IP in one real case, decided how to protect their top assets and checked what the draft policy would do for them. The teams are expected to do their presentations tomorrow. #KeNIA #WIPOKENIAEXECUTIVEPROGRAM2026 #EnablingInnovation #WIPO

The WIPO-KeNIA Executive Programme on Practical Intellectual Property Management, Commercialization and Value Creation has commenced today and will run all week long, bringing together participants from universities, research institutions and innovation support organizations for a five-day capacity-building programme. The Principal Secretary for Science, Research and Innovation Prof. Shaukat Abdulrazak, PhD. virtually opened the programme, saying Kenya must move beyond generating knowledge to turning research and technology into market-ready products, viable enterprises and jobs, supported by strong institutional IP management, technology transfer and research commercialization. He emphasized the need for Kenya to move beyond generating knowledge and focus on translating research and technology into market-ready products, enterprises and economic value. Additionally,he challenged the innovation ecosystem to work towards positioning Kenya at 50th in the Global Innovation Index, noting that stronger institutional IP management, technology transfer and research commercialization are critical to achieving this ambition. Ms. Stella Langat, Ag CEO of KeNIA, called for stronger institutional capacity to protect, manage and commercialize intellectual assets. She underscored the need to bridge the gap between research and industry through effective technology transfer offices, stronger private-sector partnerships and improved access to investment, urging participants to translate the knowledge gained into practical institutional action. Victor Owade Head, Academic Institutions and Executive Program, World Intellectual Property Organization – WIPO challenged participants to look at intellectual property beyond legal protection and recognize it as an economic asset. He emphasized the importance of identifying, protecting, managing and commercializing innovations, encouraging each participant to take one real intellectual asset from their institution and develop a clear pathway towards bringing it to market. Organized jointly by KeNIA and World Intellectual Property Organization – WIPO, the programme reinforces a shared commitment to strengthening Kenya’s innovation ecosystem, unlocking the commercial potential of research and intellectual property and transforming ideas into businesses, jobs, investment and sustainable economic growth.

''Exploration is the engine that drives innovation. Innovation drives that economic growth.'' - Edith Widder. #KeNIA #EnablingInnovation #KeNIAMonday

Missed our recent webinar? No worries, the full recording is now live on YouTube! We covered the strategic role of intellectual property in startup investor readiness. Watch via this link-youtu.be/IM7iR8PF8g4?si=d-VL… via @YouTube #KeNIA #EnablingInnovation #KeNIAWebinarseries

"The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect, but by the play instinct arising from the inner necessity. The creative mind plays with the object it loves'' #KeNIA #EnablingInnovation #KeNIAMondayInnovation

You came, you engaged, you made #PwaniInnovationWeek2026 special! Thank you to everyone who stopped by the KeNIA stand to share your ideas and ask questions. Every conversation reminded us why we do this work: to identify, nurture, promote, and coordinate Kenya’s national innovation system so that homegrown ideas can grow into solutions that change lives.A special thank you to everyone who bought from the innovators showcasing their products at our booth. Your support is what turns an idea into a business and a business into jobs. You didn’t just shop; you backed Kenyan innovation. #KeNIA #EnablingInnovation #PwaniInnovationWeek2026

Intellectual Property (IP) is not paperwork. It is business power. Today, we hosted a #KeNIAWebinarSeries session on “Your Idea Is an Asset: How Do You Protect Your Startup’s Most Valuable Assets?”, led by Rose Mboya, Head of Industrial Linkages, Policy and IP at KIRDI. Why strong IP ownership matters for startups: 1. It increases company valuation. Protected assets carry real, measurable value. 2. It builds investor confidence. Investors back startups that can show clearly what they own. 3. It creates licensing opportunities. Your IP can earn revenue beyond your core product. 4. It strengthens market position. Protection gives you room to compete without being copied. 5. It improves acquisition potential. Clear ownership makes a business far easier to buy. The key takeaway is protect what you have built before you bring in other partners. Once ownership is shared or unclear, it is hard to fix. Intellectual property gives your business strategy. For any startup, the question is not whether IP matters, but whether you have protected it before someone else benefits from it. Thank you Rose Mboya and to everyone who joined.

“Science, research and innovation are drivers of economies. The Science, Technology and Innovation Act of 2013 sets a target of 2% of GDP for funding, but we’re still below 1%. It’s time to close the gap.” KeNIA Communications Lead, George Masila, made the case for investing more in the sector while speaking on the BreakFast Club at @swahilipotfm during @pwaniinnovation. #Kenia #EnablingInnovation #PIW2026

At the inaugural Gusii Innovation Week 2026, the Kenya National Innovation Agency (KeNIA), represented by board member Chepkemoi Magdaline, HSC reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening regional innovation ecosystems and supporting the journey from research to market. Speaking during the keynote address delivered on behalf of the Principal Secretary @ScienceRI_Kenya @Profshaukat, @cheptech highlighted KeNIA’s support in research commercialisation, early-stage innovation, intellectual property awareness, regional outreach and capacity building for innovation hubs. By working with universities, researchers, entrepreneurs, industry, investors and innovation hubs, KeNIA is bringing support closer to counties. This is important because it helps locally developed solutions reach the market, create jobs and address community challenges. Under the theme “Scaling Innovations for Climate-Smart Food Systems,” the takeaway is clear: when innovators have the right ecosystem, ideas can become practical solutions with lasting impact. #EnablingInnovation #GusiiInnovationWeek #RegionalInnovationForums @fie_labs @giw2026

"Kenya is not short of talent. Kenya is not short of ideas. The challenge is turning these ideas into solutions that create jobs, grow businesses and transform our economy," said the Principal Secretary, @ScienceRI_Kenya @Profshaukat during the @PwaniInnovation and 10th Anniversary celebrations of @SwahilipotHub. He particularly challenged young people to recognise that they are not merely leaders of tomorrow, but co-pilots in Kenya's transformation today, underscoring the importance of investing in youth innovation, skills development and mentorship. The PS emphasised the need to strengthen Kenya's innovation ecosystem through better coordination, increased investment in research and innovation, and stronger partnerships that move promising ideas from conception to commercialisation. He also announced continued support for SwahiliPot Hub and called for closer collaboration between innovation hubs, the Kenya National Innovation Agency (KeNIA), the National Research Fund Kenya and other ecosystem players to eliminate duplication and accelerate innovation. For us at KeNIA, this message reinforces our mandate to coordinate and strengthen the National Innovation System, connect innovators to opportunities and support the commercialisation of innovations across the country. As we celebrate SwahiliPot Hub's decade of nurturing innovators, we reaffirm our commitment to building a more connected, inclusive and commercially driven innovation ecosystem. #EnablingInnovation #PIW2026

TUKO PWANI! KeNIA is at Pwani Innovation Week at @swahilipothub Hub, Mombasa all week long.Visit our booth to learn more about our initiatives and explore innovations that have benefited from our support. #EnablingInnovation #PIW2026

The Kenya National Innovation Agency is delighted to partner with Fie_Labs Innovation Hub for Gusii Innovation Week. Every year KeNIA supports an array of regional innovation forums across the country to strengthen County level innovation ecosystems. This week, we are happy to take our services to the grassroots as we camp in the Kisii region. Our officers will be mentoring and coaching local innovators during the hackathon, judging their pitches, showcasing our innovation support programs to innovators and stakeholders in Gusiiland and also participating in various panels and discussions. KeNIA’s support to these forums is important because these efforts help in building a strong pipeline of #Grassroot innovators. We are happy to have supported two innovators from Kisii in the last two cohorts of the Presidential Innovation Award. Check out finda.co.ke to explore the work Finda a Kisii based startup continues to do in the region. #KeNIA #Enablinginnovation #Gusiiinnovationweek2026

As a country, we have no shortage of ideas, talent or research. The question is: how do we translate these strengths into businesses, jobs and solutions that make a difference in the lives of Kenyans? KeNIA joined stakeholders at the Africa Technology Leadership Conference (ATLC 2026), co-convened by @ScienceRI_Kenya and INVIGENCE under the theme “From Technology Ambitions to Strategic Advantage: Leveraging Science, Research & Innovation for Diplomacy, Capital and Execution.” For us at KeNIA, the entry point is execution. How do we move promising research from our institutions into the market? How do we ensure innovators get the right partners, financing and support to grow? KeNIA Board Chair, Dr. Avedi Evans Kituzi spoke to the Agency’s leadership and coordination role in developing and managing the National Innovation System, and how our commercialisation support programmes are helping institutions and innovators make this transition. KeNIA’s Deputy Director, Innovation Commercialisation @IanKorongo brought out the practical issues: Are we developing solutions that the market needs? Are researchers engaging industry early enough? Do our institutions adequately support intellectual property protection? And who takes the initial financing risk before an innovation is ready for investors? These are the issues we must continue working on together. KeNIA remains committed to delivering on its mandate by strengthening institutional capacity, building partnerships and supporting commercialisation, so that more Kenyan research outputs find their way into the market and create value here at home. #EnablingInnovation #ATLC2026

A reminder to register for our webinar that will be happening on 29th October, 2026. These are some of the areas the speaker will be unpacking; 1.Practical realities of IP protection at the startup stage not as a legal formality, but as a core part of building an asset that's actually defensible and fundable. 2.The types of IP and where they actually apply- patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets, explained in terms of product, brand, code and internal know-how, so founders know which protections matter for their specific business. 3.Ownership gaps that quietly undermine a startup-what happens when contractors, freelancers or co-founders build IP without a signed assignment agreement and why this is one of the most common issues investors and acquirers flag in diligence. 4.Timing and cost trade-offs 5.What diligence actually looks like - a walkthrough of what investors and potential acquirers check when they review a company's IP position, so founders aren't caught off guard. 6. A practical starting checklist - concrete, low-cost steps founders can take in the next few weeks to close the most common gaps. #KeNIA #EnablingInnovation #KeNIAWebinarseries

"Innovation is the ability to see change as an opportunity, not a threat." Steve Jobs #KeNIA #EnablingInnovation #KeNIAMonday

𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐮𝐣𝐚𝐚 𝐃𝐚𝐲 This Mashujaa Day, Kenya National Innovation Agency honours the heroes whose courage, sacrifice and vision have shaped Kenya’s journey. We also celebrate the innovators, researchers and entrepreneurs whose ideas are driving solutions, creating jobs and shaping a better future for our nation. May we continue to honour our heroes by turning ideas into impact and advancing Kenya’s socio-economic transformation through innovation. #EnablingInnovations #MashujaaDay

When looking to innovate- fail forward. Innovation can be a chaotic process, embrace it and learn from your failures. #MondayKeNIA #Enablinginnovation

A fundable innovation must also be a trustworthy one. The final day of the Proposal Development and Grant Management for Innovation training opened with ethics, intellectual property and safeguards in innovation grants, led by innovation management consultant Anne Lawi. Participants explored integrity and transparency, social and environmental responsibility, human subjects and data ethics and equity and inclusion, then looked at IP ownership, licensing and access, commercialization strategies and benefit-sharing. The day then brought the three days together in a case simulation facilitated by Anne Lawi and Peter Kuria. Teams took on the role of an innovation unit preparing a proposal for a National Innovation Challenge, development partner or impact investor, working on scenarios such as a renewable energy startup serving rural communities and an AI-enabled health diagnostics platform. They developed their proposals, pitched and received constructive feedback. #KeNIA #EnablingInnovation