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The university has pledged further support through its Incubation and Innovation Centre, including prototype testing, intellectual property protection, and international market access
through the Kenya Industrial Property Institute (KIPI).
We are actively developing our second-generation prototype that will serve as a premium outdoor water solution gadget for the European market. We are also undergoing an
accelerator program at MKU's Innovation and Incubation Hub," Dr Yatish said.
Alongside 10 affiliate universities, MKU is scaling up the momentum by hosting a national business innovation challenge titled "Innovate for Impact: Scaling Kenyan MSMEs through
SDG 9" next month.
"This challenge invites student applicants to present solutions that empower micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Kenya. Let's continue to celebrate and support the
brilliance of our students as they transform ideas into impactful ventures," Dr Yatish added.
The AGEA Start-up Class, part of the ACCESS 2.0 project, was fully funded by the European Union and took place from September 3-13, 2025.
It supported 12 innovators from Kenya, Ghana, Benin, and Rwanda in developing market-ready business models from science-based projects.
Other participating start-ups included Harcourt Agri-Eco Farm (Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya), ObstaMed (Kwame Nkrumah University of Science
& Technology, Ghana), WaxFarm (University for Development Studies, Ghana), BIOS Benin and Tak-Avipack (University of Abomey Calavi, Benin), and DailyPlus (Rwanda).
The competition aim at bridging the gap between academic research and market applications by equipping young Africans with entrepreneurial skills.
"ACCESS is about preparing African graduates for the future by creating jobs and turning ideas into impact," an official statement from Leipzig University read.
Participants engaged with Leipzig University's SMILE start-up community, networked with local innovators, and attended the IFA-Berlin international fair, the world's largest trade fair
for consumer electronics and technology.
They also participated in the iN4iN International Conference, gaining deeper insights into global business trends.