By Faith Wandera, African Centre for Technology Studies and Ann Numi, African Centre for Technology Studies/Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology
Nine projects were implemented under the Transforming Climate Innovation Ecosystems through Inclusive Transdisciplinarity (TransCIIT) Project. The focal areas of the projects included energy, agribusiness, fashion, packaging and recycling. The project outcomes ride on digital solutions to address planning, management, human resource, visibility and resource mobilisation challenges faced by climate innovation enterprises.
The students started by defining the enterprise needs, described how the needs would be addressed using technology, and identified the adoption issues before elaborating the specific actions required. The approach used by the students hinges on the analysis of the value chains of different products in order to identify the deficiencies. Digital and technological approaches were then used to devise solutions that address the identified deficiencies thereby enabling the products to be fully deployed in the market. The approach contributes to different outcomes in developing climate innovation solutions.
Project Outcomes
The project outcomes are classified into short-term and long-term.
Short term outcomes
- Matchmaking service benefits
The pilot match-making service (MMS) in Kenya was between ten entrepreneurs and ten postgraduate students working under the supervision of project team members. This outcome relates to Work Package (WP) 1: Match-making pilot. Entrepreneurs and students recognised the benefits of attending a matchmaking event and making use of the MMS. The capacity of entrepreneurs to improve their business planning skills, electronic media presence, resource mobilisation and branding knowledge was enhanced.
Feedback from the students and entrepreneurs highlights the importance of the MMS for start-ups and the ability to apply academic knowledge to real life situations. The TransCIIT project demonstrates a promising model based on the Innovation for African Universities (IAU) programme structure (3 months of problem identification and 9 months of intervention). This model worked for the TransCIIT project, but there was consensus that a longer period was desirable. There is a latent demand for MMS in Kenya and the potential for institutionalisation exists.
- Awareness creation
Raising awareness is an outcome under WP4 (Communications), and was achieved through different channels including social media, blogs, email inquiries, advertising, electronic and print media. Advertising the MMS helped raise public awareness among women and youth entrepreneurs leading to increased interest, positive responses, and ease of recruiting students. A summary of the nine Blogs that communicate various aspects of the Project is presented below:
Blog 1 - Overview of TransCIIT matchmaking project: contributes to clear understanding among ecosystem stakeholders of the intentions and plan of the TransCIIT matchmaking project.
Blog 2 - Reflections on the Entrepreneur survey: improves the understanding of the status - needs, gaps, opportunities and nature - of entrepreneurs' requests for skills and knowledge.
Blog 3 - Reflections of the matchmaking event: informs ecosystem stakeholders how well the pilot worked, and associated challenges.
Blog 4 - Reflections of the matchmaking process: promotes understanding among innovation ecosystem actors in Kenya and beyond, of the value of the MMS and how the service can be implemented.
Blog 5 - Overview of matched projects underway: increases awareness of and interest in all the matched projects and the actors involved.
Blog 6 - Reflections/stock taking on the matchmaking project to date: increases awareness among ecosystem stakeholders of the matchmaking process, matched projects, and how the service can be improved.
Blog 7 - Reflections on matched project outcomes: raises awareness among ecosystem stakeholders of the matched project outcomes, the benefits gained, problems encountered, and what this means for improving the matchmaking service.
Blog 8 - Reflections on the showcase event: raises awareness of the event, understanding of the MMS and ways the service could be improved.
Blog 9 - Reflections on the whole of the matchmaking project: is based on final report and promotes an understanding among innovation ecosystem actors in Kenya and beyond of the value of the matchmaking service and how to implement it.
- Capacity building and Learning
The project actors experienced some learning and capacity building that could be leveraged to further develop the project legacy. The project elicited the desire to enhance collaboration between industry and academia with respect to climate innovation entrepreneurship. The passion of some students to continue working with entrepreneurs on a voluntary basis beyond the has been ignited.
The lessons from the TransCIIT project are likely to be useful for other projects such as the Kenya Industry and Entrepreneurship project (funded by the World Bank). The basic and informal support offered is different from the formalised industry-academic support offered in other projects. The need to bridge the disconnect between technical and academic knowledge with the needs and practical knowledge held by entrepreneurial firms, particularly small businesses is pertinent.
The desk review of experiences on transdisciplinary projects provides useful lessons relating to knowledge co-creation, project co-benefits, strategy, managing expectations and power dynamics applicable to other match-making initiatives in Kenya and Africa.
Long-term (beyond the Project) Outcomes
- Student, entrepreneur benefits and economic growth
The TransCIIT Project contributes to reducing the unemployment of youth by enhancing student skills and consequently their employability. Entrepreneurs acquired valuable knowledge through interaction with students, that contributes to robustness and viability of business plans. The focus on youth and women promotes inclusivity attributed to the increased productive interactions between academia, entrepreneurs, policymakers and citizens and is important for more inclusive economic growth on the African continent. This is particularly relevant for addressing the challenges faced by young and female entrepreneurs. Noticeable enthusiasm has been generated among the students and entrepreneurs, despite the limited time and resources at the disposal of the project team.
Match-making beyond the Project
The website developed during the project is part of the project legacy and demonstrates proof-of-concept. It will be available for use as a match making tool for similar future MMS between entrepreneurs and students. The TransCIIT Project more or less sets the pace for developing tools for use in transdisciplinary projects, and future projects are challenged to develop additional tools. The number of documented transdisciplinary projects that bring together students and entrepreneurs are limited, both in Kenya and Africa. It is envisaged that the Project experience will be advanced through collaboration with University of Johannesburg centre for entrepreneurship & approach beneficiaries of the IAU programme such as the Witz innovation hub.
Institutionalisation of MMS
The showcase and the next steps events were designed to contribute to institutionalising matchmaking at national level under WP 3. The showcase event demonstrates the benefits of the MMS to stakeholders outside the innovation ecosystem. There is a possibility of scaling up the Project experience by engaging further with higher education institutions, public and private sector entities. This encompasses the prioritization of policy engagement and dialogue with decision makers at institutional and national levels.
Partnerships
The Project contributes to building international partnerships, improving visibility and positioning participating institutions for future collaboration opportunities. It promotes the championing of entrepreneurship and innovation within the higher education space and supports its development across Sub Saharan Africa. It also enables partner organisations to develop respective brands as leaders within the international and African higher education space.
Working with the broader IAU programme community was useful for knowledge exchange. Much as the TransCIIT Project was a partnership between Kenya, South Africa and UK, new linkages were established with the IAU community through webinars and informal communication. The project challenges innovation scholars to build supportive infrastructure for innovation as opposed to stimulating exciting innovations.
Issues encountered and implications
The time allocated to completion of projects proved to be limiting. This implies the need to factor in more realistic timelines for future similar projects. The resources available for the project did not adequately meet the needs of the students and entrepreneurs. This is a useful lesson on plan activities within the resources available and being realistic about what can be achieved within the stipulated time.
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