columnist
Turn your ideas into innovation
Thursday, December 22, 2022
Seeing the many innovations presented under the theme of “Connecting Innovators Locally” at the “Kenya Innovation Week (KiW 2022)” held earlier this month, we can see how we can actually connect with technology, generations and society. changes are affecting our economy.
It was a stark reminder that it was time to start turning our ideas into innovations.
And we need to consider how we can make the most of it for Kenyan and global economic growth.
Read: More manufacturers harness technology to unlock potential
Inventions like mobile money have had a huge impact on economic growth over the past two decades.
But like the invention of wireless communications and mobile money, new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain 3D printing are disruptive.
In the process, they affect the economy.
AI is now showing promise in almost every field. For example, we’ve already seen how AI enabled credit scoring, which is essential for unsecured loans.
The result is increased productivity and greater inclusiveness.
Anyone can come up with an idea, but only a few dare to go beyond the conceptual stage.
Moreover, the application of all ideas needs some context to thrive. Concepts based on new technologies have a greater impact.
For example, a carpenter looking to introduce innovative furniture can use 3D printing to print prototypes and reduce costs.
Our role is to keep thinking of new applications for these technologies.
Some concepts are good, some are not. But that’s how creativity and innovation work.
Failure is part of the innovation process. You can learn from Thomas Edison. He tried to invent the light bulb over a thousand times, but he didn’t consider it a failure.
A reporter asked him, “How does it feel to fail 1,000 times?” He said: “I haven’t failed 10,000 times. I’ve found 10,000 ways it won’t work.”
Since Edison, I’ve learned that you can reduce the number of failures before you succeed.
Countries with innovation frameworks are more successful in translating ideas into continuous innovation.
Some innovations require significant resources for human resource development and research activities.
Additionally, they feed their startups with public and private venture capital (VC) funding.
As a result, situational issues such as Covid-19 can be used to quickly come up with solutions to problems.
Kenya’s Science, Technology and Innovation Act 2012 created two main institutions.
National Research Fund (NRF) and Kenya National Innovation Agency (KNIA).
These two institutions and research institutes form part of the National Innovation Framework.
But they have to be visible. The research institute was supposed to create talent pools, manage pipelines, develop innovation zones and acceleration centers, but dropped the ball.
As a result, the industry is disappointed with the alumni. Moreover, the course offering is still in the 19th century, the age of artificial intelligence.
Meanwhile, the private sector has yet to admit the few accelerators found in most higher education institutions.
As a result, the little venture capital received by local Kenyans is mostly from outside sources.
Collaborations need to be established to ensure that VC funding reaches those who need it most and have viable ideas.
President William Ruto’s call for people to embrace creativity and innovation in Jamfriday’s speech was timely.
The technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution are beginning to impact society.
The president’s promise to back start-ups with VC funding solidifies Kenya’s innovation framework.
I need to borrow ideas on how to strengthen the framework.
For example, when I visited the European Chamber of Commerce in Brussels, I learned that this organization plays an important role in skill development.
At EU level, the organization campaigns for vocational education and training, combining apprenticeships and academic learning at the secondary and tertiary level.
The Eurochamber actively participates in discussions on education and training policy. We also participate in several technical committees on skills, qualifications and training at EU level.
In addition, it strongly supports apprenticeship program improvement and more accurate skill prediction.
As a result, higher education institutions regularly revise their curricula to promote innovation and market relevance. It is these interactions that lead to predictions of future skills that the industry will need.
Kenya is building a robust innovation framework. But in the meantime, people must commit to turning every idea into an innovation.
Also Read: No Innovation Can Solve Broken Corporate Values
Success takes persistence, but spend time looking for good ideas and modifying existing products in your environment before you start your innovation journey.
Learned from Edison and tired of using lanterns that were popular at the time. There are methods you can use to narrow your search for successful innovations.
The author is the Ambassador of Kenya to Belgium, the European Union Mission, the Organization of African and Caribbean States, and the World Customs Organization. This article is written on a personal level.