The event took place between the 11th and 12th of, 2019 in Taifa Hall during the Nairobi Innovation week. The training was organized and facilitated by the Department of Research Production and Extension in the University of Nairobi and brought together youth from Makueni, Kwale, Nairobi, Homabay, Garisa among other counties. During the training, young people were equipped with skills on ideation to commercialization. The modules were driven towards growing youth knowledge on how ideas are nurtured to innovations and hence build them to be commercially productive. The key things that the youth were asked to look into in order to drive their ideas to productive levels include; Presencing, designing one’s thinking, subscribing to people with similar ideas and looking up to someone higher in the ladder as a model. They were told the best factors to consider and approaches to employ as they nurture their idea to innovations. Prof. Madara Ogot pointed out that it’s paramount for anyone intending to bring out any innovation to consider who the clients or beneficiaries of the innovation would be and therefore walk the journey of their interests. Of uttermost importance is understanding the impact of the innovation to the market and bearing in mind the presence of competitors and how to go about it. While consideration of who the customer will be is inevitable in gearing any innovation venture to fruition, discernment of oneself and change towards assimilation to the critical desires of customers was said to be of great essence. Innovation products should be modelled to blend with customers’ experience, to ensure the customers are satisfied and they are pleased to recommend these innovations to other users. If product beneficiaries are happy with the product, then they will easily recommend you to others and that’s the fastest channel of innovation product sale. Innovators should research on existing innovation and do any satisfactory changes to theirs since all innovations should be aimed at problem solving.
Other speakers during the event were; Dr. Vijoo Ratansi, the Chancellor University of Nairobi, Prof. Magoha the Cabinet Secreatary for Education, Prof. Margaret Kobia, Cabinet Secreatary Public service, Youth and Gender Affairs, Prof. Peter Mbithi the vice chancellor University of Nairobi, H.E Young-Han Choi the ambassador of Korea, H.E Eric Lundberg the ambassador of Finland, Prof. Julia Ojiambo the chairperson University of Nairobi Council, Mr. James Agin the coorporate and investiment banking Director Barclays Bank and the chief guest Hon. Joe Mucheru the Cabinet Secreatary Information and Communication Technology.