Education and innovation experts have unanimously advocated for a shift from the traditional model of teaching and learning in universities and research institutions in Ghana and across Africa to proactive methods that encourage the commercialisation of research-based innovations and solutions.
Speaking as panelists on a prelude webinar to this year’s Africa Research and Innovation Commercialisation Summit (ARICS 2025), they called for cross-sector collaborations between academia and industry to create a thriving ecosystem for research commercialisation.
The ARICS webinar on the theme: “Future of African markets, building the next Silicon Savannah”, pooled stakeholders from private sector industries, stakeholders from academia, and stakeholders from the venture capital sector to solicit diverse perspectives that could facilitate moving research outcomes from the labs to markets.
Providing perspective on this webinar, Derrydean Dadzie, CEO of Heritors Labs, stated; “Africa is not short on ideas, talent, or ingenuity—we are rich in all three. What we lack is a structured pathway to transform our research into tangible solutions that fuel industries, create jobs, and solve real problems. The future of Africa’s economy depends on our ability to bridge this gap. Commercialising research isn’t just about business; it’s about impact. It’s about ensuring that the next medical breakthrough, agricultural innovation, or digital solution doesn’t just stay in the lab but reaches the communities that need them most.”
He further emphasised, “We must build ecosystems that connect researchers with entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers—because innovation thrives when collaboration is at its core. If we get this right, we won’t just be talking about Africa’s potential—we’ll be living it.”
Vice president of Heritors Labs, Kofi Ocloo, in his opening remarks, encouraged ecosystem players to embrace collaborations that support innovation commercialization.
He said: “Commercialisation is not just about selling products; it’s about ensuring that research-driven solutions contribute meaningfully to economic and social development.
Let’s all gear up to interact, share ideas, and create an ecosystem that seamlessly transforms innovations into impactful ventures.”
Reinforcing the commitment of the RISA Fund to supporting innovation in Africa, the fund’s technical lead in Ghana, Gameli Adzaho, stressed that ARICS 2025 serves as a key platform that fosters multi-sector collaborations to advance research and innovation commercialization.
He said RISA Fund, with the support of the UK government remained excited about facilitating the building of ecosystems around research and innovation.
“ARICS 2025 unites academia, industry, public sector and civil society to accelerate the translation of research into impactful, market-driven solutions that addresses Africa’s industrial and social challenges,” he added.
“We must equip researchers and innovators with business skills so they can successfully market their innovations, generate revenue, and invest in further research,” said Ms. Elizabeth Odima, a growth catalyst with Kenyan firm, Victoria Ventures.
“Business trainings should be incorporated into research programs to help innovators bring their solutions to the market,” she added.
The panel also emphasized that Africa can harness its sustainable growth potential by prioritising commercialisation of innovations, fostering entrepreneurship and strengthening industry partnerships.
Another panelist, Dr. Cynthia Forson, deputy Provost for Lancaster University Ghana, recommended the integration of entrepreneurship education into university curricula to equip students with commercialisation skills.
She indicated: “Entrepreneurship education is crucial in moving research from labs to market. Policies that integrate entrepreneurship into the educational ecosystem can nurture the next generation of innovators.”
Contributing to the discourse, Terseer Nyulaku, Team Lead for the RISA KFCC Project, Adam Smith International, Nigeria, emphasized the importance of aligning research to the realities of Africa’s economy, particularly for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
“We must ensure that solutions being developed are useful for SMEs, easily accessible, and tailored to their needs. Researchers need to shift from solely patenting their work to making it adaptable for real-world application,” he said.
On his part, Prof. Fred McBagonluri, president of Academic City University, called for patient investments into Ghana’s research and innovation ecosystem for long-term impact, while tasking government to ensure that universities produce commercially viable research.
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