Description
The growth of innovation and business incubation at Kabarak University has progressed steadily since its inception in the year 2000. At that point in time and for a number of years the University was not able to harness the creativity of its faculty and students in the areas of innovation and business incubation. This was occasioned by the lack of the requisite policies, structures and funding from the University and other partners. Upon this realization the University proceeded to establish the Directorate of Postgraduate Studies, Quality Assurance, and Research in 2008. In 2017 the research function was scaled up and established as the Directorate of Research, Innovation and Outreach. Since then the University has proceeded to develop a policy for Intellectual Property management, to establish a standing Innovation and Business Incubation committee, to appoint a coordinator for Innovation and Business Incubation, and to set up an innovation fund. As a result the University has now been able to build capacity among faculty and students in the area of innovation and IP management, to identify innovations from faculty and students and to protect that IP. The University is making progress towards the establishment of its Innovation and Business Incubation center. This paper will therefore present, in greater detail, the journey of Kabarak University with key lessons for other institutions who are also seeking to grow their Innovation and Business Incubation functions.
