Description

The recommendations emerging from this study include the need for government to (i) fast-track the establishment of venture capital to fund innovation and provide tax credits for investments in R&D, (ii) spearhead preferential purchasing of locally manufactured products through its procurement policies (iii) entrench technology and business incubation centres in all the technical training facilities and (iv) enhance awareness, sensitization, and support for intellectual property rights protection. This discussion paper is a result of the survey that was conducted during the Annual Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Conference and National Science Week held on 19 to 23 May 2014 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC). The survey targeted exhibiting innovators during the conference, and a total of 34 respondents were reached. Semi-structured questionnaires were administered to capture their views on a range of issues including intellectual property rights; financing; market access; receptivity of the market to local innovation; policy support; role of the private sector and role of universities and other training institutions.