By Jean Murungi & Magdaline Kiyeng

[August 27, 2025] Daystar University Vice Chancellor Prof. Laban P. Ayiro was among eight other Kenyan scholars and CEOs who attended a Peer learning conference on Strengthening University Innovation and Commercialization Systems.  The conference took place at Technical University of Denmark from August 25 - 27, 2025.

The Kenyan team comprised the Principal Secretary for Science, Research and Innovation, State Department for Science, Research and Innovation, Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary, Prof. Shaukat Abdulrazak, the Vice Chancellor of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, Prof. Emily Achieng Akuno, the CEO, Kenya National Innovation Agency, Dr. Tonny Omwansa, the Vice Chancellor of KCA University, Prof. Isaiah Wakindiki and Prof. Peter Muchiri of Dedan Kimathi University.

Prof. Laban Ayiro led a discussion on the “Inclusion of innovation in teaching status of Kenya Universities on inclusive teaching, while Prof. Shaukat Ali Abdulrazak presented on Kenyan Government promotion of Entrepreneurship as the mainstay of venture-building through research.

On 25th August, the Kenyan delegation, led by Prof. Shaukat Ali Abdulrazak paid a courtesy call to the Vice President of Technical University of Denmark, Carsten Orth Gaarn-Larsen.

The engagement with Bio Innovation Institute (BII), sought to establish the Danish-Africa strategy and collaboration with the Danish Embassy/Government. These engagements set the stage for a possible future collaboration between Kenya and Denmark.

The Bio Innovation Institute offers early-stage funding, business development support, lab- and office infrastructure as well as providing a global network to start-ups in its portfolio, with the aim of helping entrepreneurs to develop and mature their research projects to the point where they can attract crucial capital investment, and thus contribute to the development of new solutions within bio-industries, health-tech, and therapeutics.

The Kenya National Innovation Agency (KeNIA) is a State Corporation established under the Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Act. The Agency works with partners to strengthen interrelationships between actors, and to promote innovation and enterprise development out of research and ideas.

While the Kenya Network of Entrepreneurial Institutions Leaders (KNEIL) was created to encourage and grow the potential of institutions to develop, promote, nurture and drive sustainable innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystems within and in the country. During the visit, KNEIL was represented by Prof. Laban Ayiro and Prof. Emily Akuno.

BII is exploring collaboration with KeNIA and KNEIL, to enable startups from Denmark to launch in Kenya, and to support the growth of the Kenyan startup ecosystem.