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The Medical Device Innovation Summer program at Kenyatta University was created to provide an immersive experience in medical device development, from problem identification to prototyping. The program aimed to encourage students to think creatively and develop solutions for pressing healthcare challenges, as identified through industry visits and clinical immersions.

The inaugural cohort of sixteen was selected from across Kenya and Uganda and were hosted at IvE’s Centre for Design, Innovation, and Engineering by the manager Stacy Awinja and the assistant manager Eubrea Mitchy Njer. For three weeks starting 3rd June 2025, they embarked on the rigorous program at Kenyatta University. Participants chosen for the program included clinicians and engineers who stood out for their creativity, technical prowess, passion for creating impact and solving healthcare challenges in the society.



The programming as well as selection criteria for the Summer program mirror that of the Master in Biomedical Engineering (Medical Device Innovation) being developed by IvE-KU in collaboration with Rice University. It gave us the platform to engage the innovator community and generate interest in participating in future iterations of IvE programs.

Additionally, the summer program provided an opportunity for us to leverage on our existing partnerships and learnings from interactions with other institutions such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Boston College. We were also joined by Rice University faculty Casey Howard and Dr. Kiara Lee (PhD)for some of the sessions.

Clinical Insights Meets Engineering Execution.

In week 1, sessions covered included the Kenyan Healthcare System, Brainstorming Techniques, Safety, 3D printing, Woodwork, Metalwork, Embedded Systems.



 

The second week involved clinical immersions for needs finding at Thika Level 5 Hospital, Kiambu Level 5 Hospital and Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral & Research Hospital. Industry visits were also conducted at Villgro Africa, MOKO and the informal manufacturing sector. These visits helped the innovators open their eyes to real-life healthcare problems as well as to look at the different ways to approach innovation and manufacturing. The innovators identified unmet needs to understanding user workflows, hence developing empathy that drives meaningful innovation

 



 

Week 3 was for the innovators to incorporate all their learnings and develop prototypes addressing needs they had identified.



 

They worked on refining prototypes, testing functions, and preparing for their final presentations, embedding the clinical insights into engineering execution. The top ideas were awarded for their innovation and creativity. The winners of the Design Challenge were:

1st Place- Alex Gathua and Alphonce Oyugi: Electronic Partograph

2nd Place- Angela Chacha and Amos Olal: Early Breast Cancer Screening

3rd Place- Ebby Lari and Dennis Munene: Postpartum Hemorrhage Detection

 



Design Challenge winners

In conclusion, the Summer Program was a resounding success. There was immense knowledge transfer to the innovators who attested to how the program changed their approach to innovation and fueled them to continue to build and create for the African healthcare ecosystem. A huge thank you to all who participated in making it a success!

The future of biomedical engineering is brighter than ever! At this year’s IVE Poster Presentation, students showcased cutting-edge innovations designed to transform healthcare. From wearable respiratory monitoring to IoT-powered inventory tracking and vascular imaging, the competition was inspiring!

🥉 2nd Runner-up - Ashtone Onyango – PneuMonitor: Multi-Modal Wearable Respiratory Monitoring System for Early Detection of Pediatric Pneumonia.

🥈 1st Runner-up - June Lindah Adhiambo – Bio Med Tracker: An IoT-Based Inventory Management & Tracking System.

🥇 Winner - Valery Chebet – Vascular Mapping Device.

Congratulations to these young innovators for pushing the boundaries of healthcare technology! 🚀👏



   

Collaboration drives innovation, and the Collaboration with Academia roundtable was a testament to the power of partnerships in Medtech. By bringing together university stakeholders, we explored how academia can work together to drive impactful research, build capacity, and translate groundbreaking ideas into real-world solutions.
Key Takeaways:
1. Encouraging collaborative R&D while maintaining institutional autonomy – Universities and industry players can work together to drive technological advancements while respecting institutional priorities, intellectual property rights, and research independence.

2. Capacity building must include patents & device innovation – Academia must go beyond traditional research and integrate intellectual property training, patent development, and medical device innovation into academic programs. By fostering a culture of innovation protection and commercialization, institutions can better contribute to the Medtech ecosystem.

3. Community engagement & fostering innovation from a young age – Universities play a crucial role in teaching innovation, creativity, and critical thinking at all levels. There was a strong call to engage younger students (primary and secondary) in innovation education and map the ecosystem to collaborate with organizations already doing this work, such as Young Scientists.

4. User-centered problem-solving for industry impact – Moving from a tech-push to a demand-pull approach requires deeper engagement with market needs. A key recommendation was to develop mechanisms for monitoring and evaluating real-world industry challenges to ensure that research and innovations are demand-driven and impactful.

What’s Next?
This roundtable was just the beginning of a broader movement toward deeper collaboration. By fostering communities of practice, mapping the innovation ecosystem, and engaging younger students in innovation and critical thinking, we can lay the foundation for a thriving medtech industry.
KNEIL remains committed to driving this agenda forward by strengthening partnerships, facilitating ecosystem engagement, and supporting academic institutions in transforming research into impactful solutions.

A huge thank you to our partners and participating institutions, including Invention Education - Kenyatta University, Strathmore University, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), DEDAN KIMATHI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY (DeKUT), AGA KHAN UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, EAST AFRICA United States International University - Africa, Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC), Kenya National Innovation Agency (KeNIA), Mount Kenya University - MKU, GARISSA UNIVERSITY, Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral & Research Hospital, The Lemelson Foundation, and many more.

Looking forward to the next steps in shaping the future of healthcare through innovation!





 

 

 

The CDIE team had the privilege of visiting the design studios at the University of Lagos and The University of Ibadan.

We were inspired by:
🔹 The well-organized layout and spacious design fostering creativity.
🔹 The unwavering dedication of the teams to innovation and excellence.

This benchmarking trip is already yielding valuable insights as we aim to elevate design practices at CDIE.





 

 

Last week, IVE hosted an exciting Catalyst Grant event where participants presented their prototypes and networked with peers and industry leaders. It was a celebration of creativity and innovation, and we’re proud to acknowledge the dedication of all involved.

Special thanks to our partners The Lemelson Foundation Rice University, Kenyatta University , Our PI Kenneth Iloka PhD. Education Coordinator Maryanne Muriuki, Design Studio Manager Stacy Awinja , MIEEE Administrator CAROLINE NG'ANG'A

Congratulations to all the participants and winners for their hard work and inspiring ideas! 🎉

hashtag#CatalystGrant hashtag#Innovation hashtag#Entrepreneurship hashtag#Networking hashtag#IVE2025 MedTech Kenyatta University

 

The Medtech Connect Networking IP Workshop, co-hosted by Invention Education Kenyatta University and MEDevice Africa, was an incredible session! 🌍✨

We explored the critical role of Intellectual Property (IP) in MedTech, providing innovators with the tools to protect, commercialize, and scale their ideas.

💡 Key Takeaways:
🔹 Why IP protection is essential for medtech innovation.
🔹 The step-by-step process of IP registration.
🔹 Common challenges and how to navigate them.

A big thank you to our expert speakers, Eric M.J Gona and Eng. Nathan Yego, as well as our partners, East Africa Biodesign and Nairobi Garage, for making this workshop insightful and impactful. 🚀

Innovation flourishes when knowledge is shared and protected. Let’s continue driving medtech innovation forward while securing the future of our ideas!

hashtag#MedTech hashtag#IntellectualProperty hashtag#Innovation hashtag#Networking hashtag#IPProtection
Kenyatta University MedTech Kenyatta University

Maryanne Muriuki Stacy Awinja , MIEEE Wambui Nyabero

  

 

MEDevice Africa and Invention Education - Kenyatta University convened 51 stakeholders across universities, corporates, hubs, funders, startups, healthcare providers, the Medtech market, and government agencies for the MedTech Stakeholders Connect.
The forum focused on strengthening Africa’s MedTech ecosystem through collaboration, innovation, and aligning biomedical education with real-world industry needs.

Key discussions included:
1. Building stronger bridges between startups, academia, and corporations.
2. Streamlining regulatory processes to support local innovation and manufacturing.
3. Including practical healthcare challenges in biomedical engineering training.
4. Defining what makes graduates truly ready for the MedTech market.
The event highlighted the urgency and opportunity to develop an environment where local innovations can thrive, from ideation to market adoption.

We are grateful to all participants for driving a rich and honest conversation: Invention Education - Kenyatta University, DEDAN KIMATHI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY (DeKUT), Strathmore University, Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC), Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Technical University of Mombasa, University of Nairobi, Drop Access Limited, Talking Hands Listening Eyes, Angaza Elimu, Think Place, Gearbox ,BBraun, AMREF, Hatch Technologies, Rice360 Institute for Global Health Technologies, Amek Group, Siemens Healthineers, Science for Africa Foundation, Konza Technopolis, iTATU, UK-Kenya Tech Hub, Ryculture Health and Social Innovation, Qhala, FCDO Services, Victoria Ventures, The Lemelson Foundation, KIPI Kenya Industrial Property Institute and Kenya National Innovation Agency (KeNIA).