KeNIA promotes innovation commercialisation at Entrepreneurial Leadership Workshop in South Africa

By:  Kanto Kai Okanta

The Kenya National Innovation Agency (KeNIA) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening innovation commercialisation and entrepreneurship ecosystems across Africa through its participation in the Entrepreneurial Executive Leadership Workshop (EELW) 2026 in Cape Town, South Africa.

KeNIA Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Tonny K. Omwansa, represented Kenya at the continental gathering, which brought together university leaders, policymakers, industry stakeholders, and innovation experts to discuss strategies for advancing entrepreneurial universities and innovation-driven economic development.

Held under the theme “From Policy to Impact: Driving Implementation and Measurable Outcomes in Entrepreneurial Universities,” the workshop focused on practical approaches to translating policy frameworks into tangible innovation and entrepreneurship outcomes.

During the discussions, Dr. Omwansa emphasized the importance of establishing structured implementation systems that can accelerate the conversion of research and academic knowledge into market-ready products, scalable businesses, and intellectual property-driven growth.

Participants examined the evolving role of entrepreneurial universities in supporting Africa’s industrialisation agenda, fostering innovation ecosystems, and contributing to the growth of knowledge-based economies. The engagement also highlighted the importance of stronger collaboration among academia, government institutions, industry players, and startup communities.

KeNIA noted that the workshop provided an opportunity to exchange experiences and best practices on innovation management, technology transfer, and entrepreneurship development across the continent.

The agency said its participation aligns with ongoing efforts to strengthen innovation-commercialisation pathways and build strategic partnerships that support sustainable economic transformation in Kenya and across Africa.

As African countries increasingly seek to leverage research, technology, and entrepreneurship to drive economic growth, stakeholders at the workshop underscored the need for coordinated action to ensure that innovation policies deliver measurable social and economic impact.