Experts Advocate for Enhanced Research and Innovation in Africa
The stagnation of groundbreaking research solutions within laboratories and the need for bolstered intra-African trade have prompted calls for stronger research and innovation efforts. Derrydean Dadzie, the CEO of Heritors Labs, a leading research and innovation firm, is advocating for African governments to take decisive action to foster innovation and commercialization. This call to action highlights the urgent need to move research from the lab bench to the marketplace, thereby enhancing Africa’s contribution to the global innovation landscape.
Empowering Research and Driving Commercialization
Dadzie emphasizes the need for African governments to empower state research and innovation promotion institutions. This empowerment should focus on enabling these institutions to cultivate intellectual property (IP) that can be effectively transferred to businesses. The key to unlocking the potential of these innovations lies in connecting the IP with businesses that possess the entrepreneurial know-how and financial resources necessary for commercialization. This approach ensures that research findings are not confined to labs but can be scaled and made available to benefit African economies. Dadzie also stresses the importance of ensuring that this process does not inadvertently exclude small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), promoting equitable access to innovations. These initiatives, with proper implementation, can boost cross-border trade and strengthen Africa’s position in the global innovation landscape.
Ultimately, Dadzie believes fixing and reinforcing cross-border research and innovation collaborations holds the potential to unlock tremendous opportunities for intra-Africa trade. This strategic approach has the ability to improve discussions surrounding innovation commercialization and ultimately impact the continent’s future economic prosperity.
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