Although Kenya ranks consistently among the top countries in Africa in research output, there is a stark disparity between national research production and its uptake in the marketplace.This paper explores the challenges of research commercialization in Kenya, identifying structural, financial, policy, cultural, and institutional barriers that hinder public and private universities and research institutes from translating innovations in scientific, technological, agricultural, and health fields into marketable products. The investment in research and development in Kenya remains low at about 0.8% of GDP, far below the 2% target set by the Science, Technology and Innovation Act. Furthermore, over half of research funding comes from foreign donors, leading to fragmented financing and weak links between academia, government, and industry. These conditions have resulted in under-resourced laboratories, insufficient commercialization infrastructure, weak university–industry partnerships, and cultural challenges such as limited entrepreneurial orientation and public mistrust of new technologies. Intellectual property management issues further impede progress, as relatively few research outputs are patented or otherwise protected and commercialized. The case studies in this paper illustrate these obstacles. For example, the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization’s (KALRO) development of a genetically modified cassava resistant to mosaic and brown streak diseases has faced protracted regulatory approval processes and public misinformation, delaying its commercialization. Likewise, several universities have launched startup incubators and innovation hubs to spin off research-based enterprises, but these initiatives often struggle with limited funding and support. Overall, the report concludes that the country needs comprehensive systemic reforms. These include increased Research and Development (R&D) investment, stronger policy incentives, improved intellectual property support, and enhanced public–private collaboration. These shall strengthen research commercialization efforts and ensure Kenya’s innovations contribute to socio-economic development.
