It was a jovial mood on June 26, 2023, as four teams received award letters from the Centre for Innovation and Technology Transfer (CITT) to implement the prestigious product development innovation projects. This is part of demonstrating value for the Research and Innovation Funds received from the Government of Uganda for the Financial Year (FY) 2022/2023.
For Quarter 4 of the FY 2022/2023, each team is receiving a grant worth UGX 16, 650,000 (Sixteen million six hundred fifty thousand Uganda shillings) equivalent to USD 4500. This grant aims to support these teams in transforming their prototypes into market-ready products and commercialize them. The four teams awarded the grant are focused on making innovative contributions in the fields of health, ICT, cosmetics, and engineering. They are now actively working towards bringing their groundbreaking ideas to fruition.
The recipients of this esteemed grant are;
- Black Beard Cream
- Mama Monitor
- Lift Relief.
- Student Academic Information System (SAIS)
The selection process for the grant recipients involved a meticulous evaluation. It began with an administrative review of all proposals submitted following the CITT’s call for proposals. Subsequently, ten teams were chosen to participate in a comprehensive Product Development Workshop held at the CITT offices from 22nd to 25th May 2023. Throughout the workshop, industry experts from StartHub Africa, the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB), the National Drug Authority, and the Mbarara University of Science and Technology provided guidance, knowledge, and technical expertise to the innovators.
After the workshop, the participating teams were required to refine their proposals for further review. On 8th June 2023, these teams presented their projects to a panel of four expert reviewers during the Project Qualification Review (PQR). The expert panel consisted of Prof. Amon Agaba (Mbarara University of Science and Technology), Dr. Adonnes Rukundo (Mbarara University of Science and Technology), Dr. Rebecca Kalibwani (Bishop Stuart University), and Mr. David Nkwangu (Mbarara University of Science and Technology).
A brief about the Awarded Teams
Maama Monitor.
Maama Monitor is led by Dr. Mercy Kobusingye who is working to develop a device that monitors pregnant women’s vitals during pregnancy and aids in preventing pre-eclampsia. The device will have the functionality of alerting pregnant women as well as their caretakers whenever the pregnant woman’s vitals go beyond normal so medical attention can be sought in time.
Student Academic Information System (SAIS)
SAIS is an innovation led by Dr. Simon Kawuma working together with a team of lecturers and officials from the Academic Registrar’s Office to design a system that manages students’ records, tracks the curriculum coverage, and manages students’ grades.
Black Beard Cream
The Black Beard Cream team, led by Mr. Derrick Isooba, is working to create a solution that improves the texture of men’s beards, keeps them looking good, and prevents dandruff. The Cream is 100% organic and will be the best option among those available on the market.
Lift Relief
Lift Relief is an innovation led by Dr. Grace Nambozi from the Nursing Department. Lift Relief aims to solve the problem frequent of back pain among nurses in hospitals as a result of heavy lifting while providing care to patients.
CITT wishes the awarded teams all the success as they implement their projects.