The website of RSUST's Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering is testament to the innovation at many of the continent's underfunded and neglected universities.It does however raise a number of questions:- To what extent are their engineering departments and others like them liaising with their business counterparts to explore the possibilities of developing spin-off enterprises?
- The sizable number of standalone research institutes and in-house institutional facilities (within the continent) are yet to spawn any startups of note. Why is this so?
- Could the Civil-Servant university mindset be impeding the awareness of realizable assets that exist within the confines of the same institutions?
- To what degree do local industries,businesses, agricultural concerns etc., perceive the results of prototyping and research as aligned with their business needs and objectives? Could we be looking at the most deleterious examples of the ivory tower syndrome writ large, where it can be least afforded?
- How can we begin to kickstart the process of bootstrapping innovation and entrepreneurship within existing institutions that are reservoirs of talent and appropriate research?
