KCA hosts 4th Innovation summit aimed at commercializing knowledge

In efforts to accelerate Kenya's transition to a knowledge-driven economy, thought leaders, student entrepreneurs and the government officials converged at KCA University for the 4th Innovation Week and Industry Summit at its Ruaraka Campus.

The three-day Summit, themed "Innovate, Elevate, Impact" addressed industrial innovation and social impact.

Empowering women in the innovation economy, higher education and the entrepreneurial Journey, strengthening industry-academia linkages, unleashing the power of the creative economy, and AI and SME transformation in the digital economy are the critical areas addressed in the summit.

Speaking at the Summit, Prof Isaiah I.C. Wakindiki, Vice Chancellor and CEO of KCA University, said that the summit embodies their strategic commitment to knowledge commercialization, sustainable development and inclusive enterprise.

“We are creating a platform where ideas transcend theory, partnerships flourish, and our collective imagination defines the future we want to see in Kenya and across the continent," he said.

The summit was attended by Prof Abdulrazak Shaukat, Principal Secretary for the State Department of Science, Research and Innovation, and Mr Lee Cheong-geun, Founder and CEO of Shoeall Co. Ltd., South Korea, among others.

The summit also featured cutting-edge innovations developed by KCA University students.

They included Trelio, an AI-powered mental health application providing anonymous emotional support, and Farmwise, an IoT-based poultry management system reducing chick mortality through automated environmental controls.

Other innovations included Agro Alert, a data-driven advisory system using NASA APIs to help farmers increase harvests by up to 30 per cent and Quick4lio, a digital portfolio platform empowering young professionals in the gig economy.