ABOUT R2C

Creating sustainable enterprises
that impact society

Most of the research in our institutions end up in the libraries and databases as publications, rather than getting to the market where they can be utilised to resolve societal pain points. The R2C program is designed to help researchers, academics, and entrepreneurs bridge the gap between innovative research ideas and commercial success. It often involves collaboration between researchers, industry partners, and investors to create a viable commercial product or service.

ViKtoria Ventures in partnership with Kenya National Innovation Agency (KeNIA) is implementing this Research to Commercialisation accelerator which will strengthen research innovators' ability to raise funding for or commercialise their innovations. The R2C project has two cycles; cohort 1 (January – June) and Cohort 2 (July – December 2023). The program will involve experiential training, mentorship and coaching towards pitching their ideas to potential investors and or commercialising their ideas.

Programme Overview

Viktoria Ventures in partnership with Kenya National Innovation Agency (KeNIA) is implementing this Research to Commercialisation (R2C) Accelerator which focus is:
01
To strengthen the researchers’ capacity by taking them through an accelerator program aimed at getting them investor and commercialization ready. 
02
To strengthen the institution’s technology transfer capacity using a cascaded training model. 
About R2C

The R2C programme is based on Three Pillars.

Pillar 1

Accelerator Program

This comprises of two Cohorts: Cohort 1: January – June, Cohort 2: July – December. The selected participants will undergo intensive three-week training, coaching and Mentorship.


Pillar 2

Training of Trainers (ToT)

The program is structured to have two cohorts where selected trainers will undergo a one-week intensive training on how to successfully run R2C Accelerators in their own institutions/research centers.


Pillar 3

Partnership with Mawazo

Women have historically been underrepresented in STEM fields, leading to a lack of research-based innovations and hindered socio-economic growth. Commercialization is crucial for researchers to bring their solutions to the market. In partnership with the Mawazo Institute, the R2C program will provide training to 15 female researchers on key commercialization topics such as IP, monetization, commercialization strategies, and pitching.
The program to have the selected participants to undergo a one week intensive training to equip these researchers with the skills necessary to develop plausible commercialization strategies, raise funds, establish market linkages, and ultimately commercialize their research innovations.

What We Do

R2C Accelerator Programme Elements

Training
The selected participants will engage in a comprehensive three-week training program that will cover essential topics such as gaining a deep understanding of their innovation/business, strategies for scaling their innovation, and securing financing for their innovative endeavors.
Linkages and Support
The program's objective is to facilitate the identification and establishment of networking opportunities for participants, enabling them to connect with potential partners for commercialisation and funding purposes.
Coaching Sessions
Each participant is assigned 10 hours of coaching and mentorship sessions from our pool of experienced coaches. These sessions are tailored to meet the specific business needs of each participant, providing valuable guidance and support throughout their journey.

ToT training on R2C curriculum

The primary goal of the ToT program is to empower participants with a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental components and principles necessary for running a successful R2C (research-to-commercialisation) program. This includes equipping them with the skills to deliver engaging R2C training sessions to researchers within their institutions, as well as fostering an understanding of the significance of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) and evaluating the impact of R2C programs.
We anticipate that participants will achieve the desired learning outcome of effectively implementing R2C programs by utilizing the program's content and effectively training key researchers and faculty members on the value of R2C. Additionally, we aim to foster institutional-level buy-in on the importance and value of R2C initiatives.
Viktoria Ventures will be conducting a training program for two cohorts of trainers (ToT) consisting of innovation champions selected from Tier 1 and Tier 2 universities as well as research institutions.
Cohort 2 Application dates:

Program elements for the ToT training

Training
We will have a week of intensive training on the building foundations of a successful R2C program. This includes selecting participants, running successful program, setting up TTOs offices in institutions and a walkthrough of content to be covered for the R2C program.
Coaching
Participants will have coaching and mentorship hours from a pool of resourceful coaching who will guide them based on their institutional needs.
Toolkit
We will share a toolkit containing all the training content and learnings from running the R2C program

Partnership with
Mawazo Institute.

The programme plans to partner with Mawazo Institute to virtually train 20 female researchers on R2C. The first cohort is scheduled for April 23, 2023

WIPO IP Diagnostic Tool

WIPO IP Diagnostics is a free, intellectual property (IP) self-assessment tool that helps businesses identify their IP assets.
After you complete a section, a report that gives you recommendations and further information on IP and business competitiveness will be generated.

WIPO