The Scinnovent Centre

05/06/2026

📢 Bridging the Gap Between Research and Policy

Research has the power to transform lives, but too often valuable findings remain confined to reports and academic publications. Our upcoming course is designed to help researchers and practitioners turn evidence into action by strengthening their ability to influence policy and practice.

Participants will gain practical skills and tools to communicate research effectively, engage stakeholders, promote gender-inclusive policymaking, and enhance the uptake of evidence in decision-making processes.

💡 Learn how to maximize the impact of your research beyond publication and contribute to meaningful change.

📍 Hybrid format (physical and virtual)

For more details read: https://scinnovent.org/2026/06/05/upcoming-training-to-strengthen-the-use-of-research-evidence-in-policy-and-practice/

19/05/2026

Scinnovent at the STRIWEEK2026:
We were pleased to welcome to our booth distinguished guests at the inaugural Week 2026 professor Shaukat Abdulrazak and other change-makers. We look forward to engaging week of interactive discussion on how we can accelerate science, technology, research, and innovation.
📍 KICC, Nairobi, Kenya

05/05/2026

Kenya’s patent data tells a story we cannot ignore.
A landmark analysis of three decades of Kenyan patent data reveals a widening innovation gap that demands urgent policy action, argues Maurice Bolo, director of the Scinnovent Centre, Kenya, with implications that SGCI researchers and policymakers across the continent cannot afford to ignore.
As the world marked World Intellectual Property Day on 26 April, Kenya finds itself at a critical juncture in its innovation journey.
A new book, Patents and Beyond: Intellectual Property Rights Acquisition in Kenya, offers a timely and data-driven reflection on how the country is generating, protecting, and using intellectual property (IP). The findings point to encouraging progress, but also to structural gaps that could undermine Kenya’s industrial ambitions if left unaddressed.
Read more: https://sgciafrica.org/kenya-innovation-gap-patents-ip.../

A 30-year analysis of Kenya’s patent data reveals a growing innovation gap, with low local patent success, gender disparities, and weak industry links threatening the country’s industrial ambitions.

24/02/2026

Dr. Maurice Bolo, Director of the Scinnovent Centre, paid a courtesy call on Prof. Shaukat Abdulrazak, Principal Secretary, State Department for Science, Research and Innovation, Nairobi, and briefed him on a study he conducted on Kenya’s intellectual property (IP) landscape titled “Patents and Beyond: Industrial Property Acquisition in Kenya – Facts, Figures and Trends (1990–2020).” The study, an update of work published 10 years earlier, highlighted changing trends in IP ownership; locality/geographical distribution (local vs. foreign IPs); economic sectors where IPs are applied and registered and their alignment with national development priorities and strategies; gender and social inclusion; partnerships and collaborations; linkages and networks; the role of devolution in IP and knowledge; as well as the contributions of universities, TVETs, other learning institutions, public research institutes, and the private sector. It also examined issues related to policies, governance, and institutions.

These insights were noted as highly relevant to the mandate of the State Department for Science, Research and Innovation and its key agencies, including the National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation, Kenya National Innovation Agency, National Research Fund, the African Academy of Sciences, the International Science Council, and UNESCO.

07/02/2025

Watch Maurice Bolo, Executive Director of the Scinnovent Centre; Didier Betbeder, Founder of Vaxinano; Ana Paula Bastos, Immunology Researcher at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA); Melina Cruz, CEO of Homely; and Jessica Espinoza, CEO of 2X Global speak about what sets IDRC apart as a unique research-for-development funder: beyond financial support, championing of research, innovation and development outcomes; capacity strengthening; knowledge sharing and support in network building – especially in the Global South, etc.

Video:

Watch Maurice Bolo, Executive Director of the Scinnovent Centre; Didier Betbeder, Founder of Vaxinano; Ana Paula Bastos, Immunology Researcher at the Brazili...

07/02/2025

Watch Maurice Bolo, Executive Director of the Scinnovent Centre, a collaborating technical agency in the Science Granting Councils initiative (SGCI). In this project, the Scinnovent Centre provided capacity building and policy development support to Councils, to better equip them to work with the private sector.

This project is an example of IDRC’s efforts to contribute to a strong enabling environment for the private sector engagement to advance development outcomes.

Video: https://buff.ly/4jNJO1W