LSU, Kenyatta University Partnership Will Accelerate Innovation, Research

LSU and Kenyatta University will work together to drive innovation, research and job growth in STEM-related fields in Kenya and globally under a first-of-its-kind partnership funded by a federal grant.

“By 2050, a quarter of the world’s population and a third of working-age people will live in Africa. Kenya is the leading regional finance hub and the premier destination for the tech sector and innovation in the East Africa region,” said Jasmine Mungai, operations coordinator for the LSU Office of Innovation & Technology Commercialization (ITC). “Google, Microsoft, IBM, and Cisco have already invested in the ‘Silicon Savannah.’ The LSU-Kenyatta University collaboration (KLICS) offers a unique opportunity that aims to enhance knowledge of technology transfer through targeting training programs, support the development of university innovation, and creating effective pathways for commercialization.”

 LSU is one of only three U.S. universities awarded a grant under the U.S. Kenya Higher Education Partnership 2024. Mungai and Mariel Liggin, a commercialization officer with LSU ITC, are the principal investigators on the $178,000 grant.

According to the U.S. State Department, Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, offers American business schools the same kind of platform as Singapore and Dubai: the chance to leverage international business opportunities.

ITC is considering a number of potential cooperative efforts with Kenyatta University, including research collaboration, technology transfer, industry connections, and training.

Mungai said she is grateful to give back to her native country and hopes the new partnership is the first in a long line of LSU-Kenyatta University collaborations.

"We are greatly excited to be collaborating with LSU on this initiative, which is timely, coming as we launch plans to revamp our innovation, tech transfer and commercialization activities,” said *Maina Mwangi, director of Innovation Incubation and University Industry Linkages at Kenyatta University. “We are elated to be able to benefit from the wealth of knowledge, skills and experience at LSU, a highly reputable and global champion of impactful innovation and IP management. We are confident our capacity at Kenyatta and in other Kenyan higher education institutions will be significantly strengthened in various domains and look forward to implementing a highly successful and mutually beneficial program.”

“It is hard to imagine a research university in the 21st century whose core academic functions of teaching, research, and service do not uphold the importance of international collaboration. This partnership with Kenyatta University will further solidify and strengthen LSU’s footprint in Sub-Saharan Africa,” said Samba Dieng, senior internationalization officer and executive director, LSU Office of Global Engagement.

Liggin said LSU’s work with Kenyatta University will generate significant impacts for the school’s faculty, staff and students, the participants in Kenyatta University’s innovation hub, and other universities in Kenya.

 “We’re excited to be a part of enhancing education, stimulating cutting-edge research and fostering innovation in this strategic hub,” Liggin said. “By working together, we can create business opportunities for Kenya and internationally.”

About LSU’s Office of Innovation & Technology Commercialization

LSU’s Office of Innovation & Technology Commercialization (ITC) protects and commercializes LSU’s intellectual property. The office focuses on transferring early-stage inventions and works into the marketplace for the greater benefit of society. ITC also handles federal invention reporting, which allows LSU to receive hundreds of millions of dollars each year in federally funded research, and processes confidentiality agreements, material transfer agreements and other agreements related to intellectual property.