A delegation from the Private Sector and Innovation Promotion in Ghana (PSInno) programme has called on the Provost of the College of Engineering at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi (KNUST) as part of efforts to strengthen collaboration on innovation and the commercialisation of research outputs.
The PSInno team, which included the Agribusiness Team Lead, Elvis Mensah Bonsu, and Technical Advisor, Elipklim Sabblah, were accompanied by the Scientific Director of the DIPPER Lab and Head of the Computer Engineering Department, Prof. Eric Tutu Tchao.
The delegation was received by the Provost of the College of Engineering, Kwabena Biritwum Nyarko, who stressed the need to bridge the gap between research outputs and commercialisation.
He noted that “while the university continues to generate a wide range of innovative projects, translating them into market-ready solutions remains a major challenge, student-led innovations lose momentum after graduation due to limited support structures”.
Prof. Biritwum Nyarko indicated that the establishment of the KNUST enterprise would provide a structured pathway to help move innovations from the laboratory to the market.
The PSInno project, implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in partnership with Ghana’s Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, aims to support SMEs, promote innovation, and create jobs, particularly within the digital economy and agribusiness sectors.
Speaking on behalf of the PSInno team, Mr. Elvis Mensah Bonsu said the initiative aligns strongly with efforts to bridge research and industry.
“These sentiments resonate with us. A lot of research is being produced, but the key question is how we create pathways to move these innovations into the commercial space where they can be utilised. We are hoping to co-create solutions that can scale and make real impact,” he said.
Also present at the meeting were the Registrar of the College of Engineering, Paul Kwadwo Addo; Chief Executive Officer of Sesi Technologies, Isaac Sesi; and Senior Technical Advisor at the Centre for Applied Research and Innovation in Supply Chain – Africa (CARISCA), KNUST, Prof. Abdul Samed Muntaka.
Members of the DIPPER Lab team were also present at the meeting, following an earlier engagement with the PSInno delegation at the lab where ongoing innovation projects and digital solutions were showcased.
The delegation also visited the College of Engineering Innovation Centre and the Centre for Applied Research and Innovation in Supply Chain – Africa (CARISCA), KNUST, to observe ongoing innovation and research activities.
