WIPO Scale Up Your IP Program Equips Innovators with Commercialization at JKUAT.
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), in cooperation with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and with support from the Japan Patent Office (JPO), hosted the Scale Up Your IP Program on May 20, 2026, under the theme “IP Commercialization for Deep-Tech Ventures.”
The program brought together researchers, innovators, trainers, and entrepreneurs from various universities and organizations with the aim of bridging the gap between innovation and the market through effective intellectual property commercialization strategies.
The training served as an important platform for strengthening innovation ecosystems and equipping researchers and innovators with practical commercialization skills needed to transform research outputs into impactful market-ready solutions.
As deep-tech innovations continue to shape industries and economies globally, the program emphasized the growing need for innovators to understand intellectual property protection, venture development, branding, and commercialization processes that can accelerate the transition from research to industry and socio-economic impact.
Speaking during the training, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Victoria Ngumi, who was represented by Prof. (Eng.) Hiram Ndiritu, Principal of the College of Engineering and Technology (COETEC), appreciated WIPO for its continued partnership with JKUAT in strengthening intellectual property management, innovation protection, and commercialization. She noted that the collaboration was enhancing the University’s capacity in research commercialization and innovation development.
“The major challenge is bridging the gap between innovation and the market while transforming knowledge into value addition,” said Prof. Ngumi.
The Vice Chancellor further emphasized that research should go beyond laboratories and publications to address real-world challenges, create employment opportunities, and support socio-economic growth.
The training was coordinated by the Directorate of Intellectual Property Management and University-Industry Linkages (DIPUIL), JKUAT, led by the Director, Dr. Meshack Hawi. The Directorate played a key role in facilitating engagements focused on intellectual property commercialization, innovation management, and strengthening the link between research and industry.
The Chief Guest, Mr. Hiroshi Maruoka, First Secretary and Trade and Commerce Attaché at the Embassy of Japan to Kenya, highlighted the importance of international partnerships in strengthening innovation ecosystems and supporting commercialization efforts.
He reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to supporting initiatives that promote technology transfer, entrepreneurship, and sustainable innovation capable of empowering researchers and innovators to develop globally competitive solutions.
Ms. Alison Mages, Head of the IP Commercialization Section at WIPO, guided participants through brand strategy development, IP commercialization action plans, and data room preparation. She emphasized the importance of building strong and recognizable brands that can position innovations competitively in the market while also preparing innovators to effectively engage investors and commercialization partners.
Ms. Magherita Marini, an IP Commercialization Specialist at WIPO, took participants through Unique Selling Proposition (USP) validation and the development of IP-aware ventures. She encouraged innovators to identify what makes their technologies unique and valuable while strategically integrating intellectual property into business development.
Through practical discussions and case studies, participants gained insights on how to strengthen their ventures, protect their ideas, and position innovations for successful commercialization and long-term growth.
The program also attracted representatives from key institutions within Kenya’s innovation and research ecosystem, including the African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS), the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS), Konza Technopolis Development Authority (KoTDA), the Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI), the National Research Fund (NRF), and the Kenya Industrial Property Institute (KIPI).
