April 26-28, 2022; The University of Nairobi held the 6th Edition of the Nairobi Innovation Week 2022. The three-day event themed, ‘Innovation for transformation and Impact in the society’ attracted over 20 partners/sponsors, over 40 exhibitors, 5 masterclasses and 45 speakers from various reputable organizations.
The Associate Vice-Chancellor, Research, Innovation and Enterprise, Prof. Margaret Hutchinson welcomed the guests and exhibitors to the colorful opening ceremony held at Taifa Hall. In her remarks, she thanked the University management, the 22 partners and sponsors of the Innovation week, exhibitors and industry experts who committed their time and resources to make the Innovation week possible.
The Vice-Chancellor, University of Nairobi, Prof. Stephen Kiama spoke about the vibrant research culture at the University of Nairobi and highlighted the vast resources the University has invested in to conduct intensive and impactful research that has shaped policy and changed lives. In his speech, Prof. Kiama urged students to take advantage of the many platforms available to students to ensure that they graduate as holistic and innovative individuals.
The CEO, Safaricom, Peter Ndegwa, while delivering the keynote speech explained extensively to the audience how Safaricom leverages on technology and innovation to create solutions. He noted, ‘Customer obsession, purpose, collaboration and Innovation are the 4 elements that drive Safaricom to greater heights and has formed what we call the spirit of Safaricom,’
The Principal Secretary, State Department Devolution, Charles Sunkuli said that innovations revolve around providing change with emphasis on climate and social change issues. In addition, he informed the audience saying, ‘social development and giving the youth a platform that nurtures their growth is how they ensure that they support the youth in the society.’
Dr. Peter Akuon from the Faculty of Engineering exhibited a prototype of a locally made ventilator. The ventilator was designed by a multidisciplinary team of engineers and medical professionals from the University of Nairobi which included Dr. Peter Akuon (EIE) Team Leader, Prof. J. M. Mbuthia, Co-Lead, IoT Laboratory, Prof. Fredrick Were, Medical Doctor, Respirator Expert, Dr. Ernest Odhiambo, from Mechanical Engineering, Davies Segera, from Electronic Engineering, Benson Onyango, from Electrical Engineering, Kinyua Wachira and Faris Abdulrahman from Electronic Engineering.
The ventilator was built using open-source software from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and has secured Food and Drugs Association approvals.
The ventilator is portable and can be used in various environments including inside ambulances and at home.
The Innovation Week sessions were aired live on the Official University of Nairobi TV channel- UNCTV
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