What is looking like a landmark collaboration that benefits both researchers and keen innovators is close. It is happening with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) joining forces with the main host, Triple Helix Nigeria to organise the inaugural SciBiz Annual Conference, which will take place in Abuja from 23 to 25 October 2024. This inaugural event represents a significant move towards fostering a robust innovation ecosystem in Nigeria, leveraging the organiser’s triad model of academia-industry-government partnerships.

The theme for the conference, “Integrating Research, Innovation and Policy: Triple Helix Pathway to Research Commercialisation,” will channel objectives that involve bridging the gap between scientific research and practical application. NCDMB’s sponsorship is vital to this no doubt being one that promotes local content growth which in turn boosts in-country capacity and the economy at large.

With the SciBiz Annual Conference getting closer, there is a rare chance to create a vibrant platform for stakeholders to exchange ideas, explore collaborative opportunities, and co-create commercialisation pathways for maximum research outputs.

The fact that this motif is on the cards is an acknowledgement of the urgent need to translate academic research into marketable products and services that bring about much-needed employment and stimulate economic growth.

Key elements of the upcoming conference include plenary sessions with expert keynote speakers from Nigeria and abroad, panel discussions to tackle barriers to research commercialisation, and an innovation pitching competition in collaboration with OxFounders Global.

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This competition will showcase projects by startups and innovators to potential investors and partners, highlighting the entrepreneurial spirit within the Nigerian research community.

Workshops and breakout sessions will explore opportunities for research funding, intellectual property management, and fostering an entrepreneurial mindset within universities. After these, an exhibition will provide a stage for innovators, startups, research institutions, and industries to display their products, services, and technologies to a diverse audience.

Additionally, a dedicated subcommittee will engage the Nigerian diaspora, aiming to leverage global expertise for local challenges.

The Triple Helix model has been recognised as a successful mechanism for fostering innovation ecosystems in advanced economies. However, its potential remains largely untapped in Nigeria due to limited interaction among academia, industry, and government.

Press Release

NCDMB, Triple Helix to Host Research and InnovationConference
 
In a bid to create a platform for critical stakeholders to share ideas, explore opportunities for collaboration and co-create pathways for the commercialisation of research outputs in Nigeria, Triple… pic.twitter.com/oSPHzoBqAe

— NCDMB (@OfficialNCDMB) September 28, 2024

Permanently getting one over these limitations is what the SciBiz Annual Conference seeks to rectify – by providing a structured environment for these three arms of interactors to engage and synergise without qualms.

Interested in being part of this research-led digital transformation? One is advised to seek more information by visiting the official SciBiz Annual Conference website here.

Meiza Nigeria