The African Development Bank (AfDB) has launched PAUSTI Incubation Centre at The Pan African University Institute for Basic Sciences, technology and Innovation (PAUSTI) located at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology in a move to promote innovation development, market linkages, and technology transfer.
The AfDB funded Incubation Centre of Excellence has been set up to promote and drive innovation, creativity, entrepreneurship and private sector linkages among the academia.
The PAUSTI Incubation CoE will seek to accelerate the application of research and development, through technology and linkages with the private sector, to drive innovation and entrepreneurship on the continent.
Uyoyo Edosio, the Principal ICT4Development Expert at AfDB explained how the bank, The African Union Commission among other partners came together to reimagine the role of higher education in the society. The partners saw the need to close the gap between academia and the industry by introducing the technological paradigm.
“We are so proud to be launching the PAUSTI Incubation CoE, as this is the beginning of a movement. A movement that will change the face of Africa where we will produce indigenous solutions to solve our indigenous problems. We believe Africa’s youth, when given the right skills and conditions, can be incubated to grow innovative ideas that will change the continent” Said Uyoyo.
Prof Gabriel Magoma, Director of PAUSTI University highlighted the importance of PAUSTI Incubation CoE and how it will facilitate creative thinking, collaborative problem solving and encourage, support and promote technological innovations.
The PAUSTI CoE will form the backbone of the development agenda and will foster a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship within the University. The Centre will seek to drive economic growth, generation of employment, industrialization, access to vital business information, business knowledge, networks and financial investments for the PAUSTI students.
iHub Limited has been contracted to set up and operationalize the Incubation Centre. Through the centre, PAUSTI Students will be facilitated to access a global network of accelerators, incubators, mentors, investors, and corporate partners attracting much needed technical expertise for their innovations. They will also be involved in activities such as design thinking workshops and innovation challenges, CV clinics, entrepreneurship masterclasses, pre-incubation and incubation programs, excursions to innovation hubs and companies among others.
The PAUSTI CoE is the first of its kind incubation centre established among the 5 Pan African University institutes in the African continent.
The event was graced by Vice-Chancellor of JKUAT Prof. Victoria Ngumi, Africa Union Commission representatives among other private sector partners.