FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR INNOVATIVE PROJECTS

Nairobi, 23th September 200 - The annual Engineering Students Exhibition has proven to be a launch pad for innovative students into the business world. The prize winners of last years Exhibition have almost all reported back that they have secured jobs and consultancy contracts in the private sector. The announcement was made by the Kenya ICT Federation (KIF) at the launch of the 11th edition. The Kenya ICT Board and the Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute have each agreed to sponsor five innovations by students to enter the market. This year’s theme is “ICT & Alternative Energy in Rural Development.”

Kenyan universities must take urgent measures to support innovation. The private-public sector debate at the Exhibition launch brought to light that universities must invest in better equipped electronics research laboratories and allow flexibility in curricula in order not to frustrate new technologies. The Exhibition award winners revealed how they had to battle with lecturers that failed to accommodate new technologies and with obstacles of missing and faulty lab equipment. The meeting of private sector entrepreneurs and engineering students further noted that that the Kenya Industrial Property Institute only recognizes hardware but not virtual property, leaving the fast growing area of software and services exposed to violation of their creator’s rights.

Innovators Support Fund

The CEO of the Kenya ICT Board Mr Paul Kukubo expressed his view that the starting point for innovation is not economics and money, but excitement about creativity. However he stated that “venture capital is the missing link between the economics of innovation and the art of inventing.” He announced a new innovators support fund, ready for action from September onward. Exhibition founder Dr Kevit Desai made a passionate plea to Government leaders to apply stronger leadership to innovation, because Kenya cannot afford to rely on old production technologies in the global competition race. KIF chairman Marcel Werner stressed that “innovation protects jobs, changes jobs, and creates jobs. And especially, it creates quality jobs.”

The goal of the Exhibition is to drive students to develop their skills and to give them a deeper insight into technology coupled with market demand. The preparation and presentation of projects will challenge them to mix and match their theoretical and practical skills. Past Exhibitions have been an invaluable networking opportunity for local and international participants. It also drives research and development in the engineering and computing industries. The Exhibition has been running since 1997 in collaboration with the world’s largest engineering society Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE) and has become a landmark event in Kenya. In 2007, a record-breaking number of over 220 innovative exhibits from students from seven countries were received. This year over 2XX entries are expected.

Groundswell of support

The Exhibition has received a groundswell of support from leading organizations in private sector, government and academia. This year’s partners include: Safaricom, Lemelson Foundation, Ericsson Kenya, Kenya ICT Board, Intel Corporation, Mecer E.A., African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS), Communications Commission of Kenya, Ministry of of Science & Technology, Huawei, HP East Africa, Ministry of Energy, KDN, UUNET, Kenya Shell, Eveready, KIPI, Kenya ICT Federation, Kenya Association of Manufacturers and Kenya Private Sector Alliance, Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute, Kenya Bureau of Standards and the Institute of Engineers of Kenya. These supporters recognize that they will be able to realize innovations that fit a developing society like Kenya, through the talents and skills of our young engineers.

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