Centre to help students create jobs opens

An incubation centre to spur innovation and assist students become job creators instead of job-seekers has been launched at Kenyatta University.

The centre, named after industrialist Manu Chandaria, seeks to inspire and mentor innovation-based entrepreneurship to start-up enterprises.

The Chandaria Business Innovation and Incubation Centre will teach innovators to develop their ideas into viable commercial ventures.
The maximum incubation period shall not be more 12 months and all patents and copyrights acquired by participants will be jointly owned with the centre on equal terms.

Speaking at the official opening, Kenyatta University Vice Chancellor Prof Olive Mugenda said the centre will enable students to open up to the idea of starting up a business through coaching and networking by its professional mentors. The centre seeks to create at least 100 innovators every year.

Application forms can be accessed online and acknowledgement of receipt is within three days.

The applicants are required to submit the forms online for evaluation by at least two reviewers. The reviewers will then send their report to a panel of professional mentors who will discuss and consider the report for a final recommendation which will be sent to the board for approval.