On a fairly regular basis (maybe twice a week on average) I get paid a visit by the “typical Kenyan inventor.” I am surprised at the diversity of these inventors.
There is diversity in age. I cannot even say that most inventors are young, which is what I expected, as I am frequently meeting inventors in their 40s and 50s. The youngest inventor that I have met so far had his big breakthrough invention (which you can view here; this invention is supported by Wildlife Direct, here) before becoming a teenager.
There is diversity in ethnicity and gender. So far I have met more men than women, but it’s not exclusively Kenyan men that are inventing and innovating. Plus, the diverse group includes Africans, Asians, White folk, and mixes thereof.
ICT comes as a great relief ... |
Something that is common to most inventors is that they do not hang the entire success of their business on receiving patent protection. In a region where patent protection can be difficult to enforce, this is quite necessary. It is also, I think, quite healthy from a business perspective as it forces the inventors to be creative with their business models.
Another thing is common to almost all of the inventors I have seen. They have looked far and wide seeking help with the patenting system and have been frustrated by the lack of local affordable help.
This post was first published on AfroIP, here.
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