VICTORIA INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (VIST)
Fostering Innovation, Creating Enterprises
www.victoria-institute.org
contact: cjuma30@gmail.com
Swan Centre
Oginga Odinga Road
P.O. Box 3207, Kisumu
Tel: +254 57 2024094/5
bob@kca.ac.ke
Mission and vision
The mission of the Victoria Institute of Science and Technology (VIST) is to train people to create
technology-based enterprises. Our vision is to foster an entrepreneurial culture by applying science,
technology, engineering and mathematics for sustainable development. We implement our mandate
though business, education and research. Our values include the pursuit of excellence in transforming
knowledge into goods and services to meet the needs of the residents of the Lake Victoria region. We
execute this vision through partnerships and cooperation with other local, regional, national and
international organizations.
History and background
The idea of creating VIST originates from persistent concerns over the fate of Lake Victoria and the
surrounding populations. Lake Victoria—shared between Kenya (6%), Tanzania (51%) and Uganda
(43%)—is the world’s second largest freshwater late covering 68,800 km2. Its catchment area supports
about 35 million people, nearly a third of the populations of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. It is estimated
that nearly 3 million people earn their living directly or indirectly from the lake’s fish industry, whose
overall annual production is about 400-500 metric tons.
The lake region depends on the fishing industry, but this resource is increasingly threatened by
population pressure, industrial activities and ecological change. Inflow of residues from chemical
herbicides, pesticides and heavy metals resulting from gold mining operations continues to threaten the
lake.
Perhaps the most dramatic change in the lake region is the prevalence of poverty and the associated
challenges of epidemics (HIV/AIDS, malaria, typhoid and cholera) and ecological degradation. Nearly half
of the people in the region are classified as poor. Poverty is associated with factors such low skill levels,
undercapitalization of businesses, poor infrastructure, disease, lack of education and traditional beliefs
that further undermine social welfare.
Addressing these challenges requires improvement in the skill level of the population, enhancement of
entrepreneurial capabilities and greater knowledge of the natural resources in the region. We address
these challenges at VIST by helping to foster business development, providing experiential education and
undertaking research.
The City of Kisumu
VIST occupies 10,000 square feet of office space in the City of Kisumu, Kenya’s third largest city and a
gateway to Africa’s Great Lakes region. The population of Kisumu is 500,000 with another 10 million
living in the surrounding Nyanza and Western provinces. Kisumu has a long history as a commercial
centre, deriving its name from “sumo”, the local word for barter trade. The city supports a variety of
economic and manufacturing activities and is located in a region that produces cotton, fish, peanuts,
sesame and sugar.
The first airport in East Africa was established in Kisumu in the late 1930s. By the 1940s Kisumu was a
leading regional investment, administrative and military base. As a testament to its past, Kisumu is the
home of the Lake Victoria Basic Commission of the East African Community (EAC). It is served as the
historic terminus of a railway from the Indian Ocean city of Mombasa.
The city, however, has been in decline since the early 1980s. The advent of the knowledge economy is
offering Kisumu opportunities for renewal, and Kisumu has the promise to become a major business hub.
The city is emerging as the “intellectual capital” of the Great Lakes Region, serving as the home to several
university campuses and research institutes. Its prospects will be reinforced by the planned expansion of
the airport to support international flights, which will establish Kisumu as a regional hub for
entrepreneurial activity.
Governance
VIST was registered on August 7, 2008 under the Kenyan law as public charitable trust for the
advancement of education (Registration Number PS 1168). It is governed by a board of trustees and
supported by an International Advisory Council.
Board of trustees
The main function of the Board of Trustees is to provide policy guidance to the organization and to
perform other functions required by the law.
Chairperson: Martin Oduor-Otieno, Kenya Commercial Bank, Nairobi
Chris Aleke-Dondo, K-Rep Development Agency, Nairobi, Kenya.
Dennis Awori, Toyota East Africa Ltd., Nairobi, Kenya
Munira Gilani, Peche Foods, Kisumu, Kenya.
Calestous Juma, Harvard Kennedy School, USA.
John Mugabe, University of Pretoria, South Africa.
Roselyda Nanjala, JJ Kwada Holdings, Port Victoria, Kenya.
Grace A. Ongile, New Economic Partnership for Africa’s Develoment, Nairobi.
Daniel M. Oruoch, KCA University, Kenya.
International advisory council
Chairperson: Calestous Juma, Harvard Kennedy School, USA.
Abdallah S. Daar, University of Toronto, Canada.
Nichelle Gainey, SilverStone International, LLC, USA.
Anita Goel, Nanobiosym, USA.
Jonathan Gressel, Weizmann Institute of Science. Israel.
Xue Lan, Tsinghua University, Beijing.
Magdalene Odundo, University for the Creative Arts, Farnham, England.
Susannah Scott, University of California, Santa Barbara.
Tobby Simon, Synergia, India.
Don Thornhill, Former Chairman, National Competitiveness Council of Ireland.
Caroline S. Wagner, George Washington University, USA.
Lee Yee-Cheong, Academy of Sciences of Malaysia, Malaysia.
Jose Zaglul, President of EARTH University, Lemon, Costa Rica.
People
VIST’s activities are supported two categories of people. The first is full-time operational staff. The second
category includes professors and the third category consists of Professional Associates who provide offline
support, mentoring and networking.
Staff
Daniel M. Oruoch, Chief Executive Professor.
Bob Odhiambo, Technical Manager.
Peter Manyonge Wanyama, Legal Counsel.
Faculty
Daniel M. Oruoch, Chief Executive Professor.
Thomas Burke, Associate Professor.
Norman Clark, Adjunct Professor.
Henry Etzkowitz, Adjunct Professor.
J. Mark Munoz, Adjunct Professor.
Judi Wakhungu, Adjunct Professor.
Associates
Philipp Aerni, University of Zurich, Swtizerland.
Timothy Anderson, World Computer Exchange (WCE), USA.
Dorothy N. Angote, Ministry of Lands, Kenya.
Bob W. Bell, Jr., University of California, Berkeley, USA.
Steven Burns, Harvard University, USA.
Anthony Chong, California Institute of Technology, USA.
Joe Dietsch, Fallout Entertainment, Santa Monica, California.
Samantha Fang, Harvard College, USA.
Matthew Harsh, Arizona State University, USA.
Erin Hayba, Bridge the Gap TV, USA.
Ayako Ishiwata, Tokyo University, Japan.
Kristin Jordan, independent film producer, Santa Barbara, USA.
Mugo Kibati, Director General of Kenya’s Vision 2030 Delivery Board, Kenya.
Camilla Kydland, Science2Games, Santa Barbara, USA.
Yarime Masaru, University of Tokyo, Japan.
Jimnah Mbaru, Dyer & Blair Ltd., Nairobi.
Martin, Harvard University, USA.
Amina C. Mohamed, Ministry of Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs, Nairobi.
James Bradfield Moody, C0mmonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Canberra,
Australia.
Stephen Praissman, Lachman Consultant Services, USA.
Aly-Khan Satchu, author, Anyone Can be Rich.
Huai Ming Sun, World Education Inc., Boston, USA.
Tavneet Suri, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA.
Jostein Svendsen, independent entrepreneur, Norway.
Gregory X. Wagner, University of Alabama, USA.
Peter Manyonge, Mohammed Muigai Advocates, Nairobi.
Community involvement
VIST seeks to contribute directly to the community in which it is located through enterprise development,
education and research. The initial focus of its work is two-fold. First, it works to incubate businesses that
will be located in the city of Kisumu. Second, it helps existing businesses to improve their performance
through training. In addition to its initial focus on Kisumu, VIST will carry out the same activities around
Lake Victoria and will collaborate with like-minded institutions around the world.
Entrepreneurial development
VIST’s focus is to create new technology-based enterprises. It helps young people identify technologybased opportunities, assess their potential and create new ventures. In addition, it helps to revive ailing
enterprises. VIST provides mentorship and connects young innovators with potential financiers.
Idea incubation
VIST serves as a platform for the generation of new ideas. This is done through workshops, seminars,
conferences and other interactive sessions. The ideas generated through these interactions are developed
further and turned into business plans.
Business plan competition
VIST runs business plan competitions based on ideas from a diversity of sources. The winning business
plans are presented to potential funders for their consideration. VIST is working with banks and private
financiers to create a venture fund to support winning business plans.
Challenge grants
VIST provides challenge grants to help finance innovation. The aim of the challenge grants is to recognize
and foster activities that are carried out before the funding is made available. It aims to support those who
are already helping themselves through their own initiative, hard word, dedication and sacrifice.
Mentoring
Mentoring is provided by VIST through electronic means. In addition, special mentoring sessions are
convened to coincide with the various workshops, seminars and conferences organized by VIST.
Education and research
VIST provides experiential education to people seeking to translate ideas into technology-based
enterprises. It therefore links training directly to entrepreneurial activities. VIST implements its work on
information and communications technologies through the Multimedia Technology Centre. The
development of centres is guided by entrepreneurial opportunities and strategic partnerships. Future
areas of interest include medical innovation, aquatic resources and innovation, agricultural
innovation, transportation industries and innovation policy and law.
Prizes and honours
VIST uses prizes to celebrate entrepreneurial excellence and to use it to inspire and challenge the next
generation of entrepreneurs. Individuals who have made outstanding contributions to society by using
science, technology, engineering and mathematics to solve socioeconomic problems are elected to the
Regional Academy of Engineering and Technology (RAET).
VIST presents a variety of prizes to young entrepreneurs and other leaders for their contributions to the
application of science, technology, engineering and mathematics to development. The prizes are awarded
during the “Innovation Week” convened annually by VIST in partnership with government, industry,
academia and civil society.
Regional Academy of Technology and Engineering
The Regional Academy of Technology and Engineering (RATE) is VIST’s premier mechanism for
recognizing individuals who have made outstanding contributions to development through the
transformation of ideas into business solutions. RATE Fellows are elected by their peers and serve as role
models for young people.
Resources
VIST operates a digital library and plans and promotes the use of online material for research purposes. It
also partners with other institutions to provide access to library material.
Distance learning
VIST is partnering with universities around the world to provide staff, faculty and students access to
online courses. Its partners include Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the
University of California, Santa Barbara.
Information dissemination
VIST disseminates information on its activities and its areas of interest to the wider public through
research papers, blogs, news updates and events, which include conferences, seminars, workshops and
public lectures. VIST readers the wider public using its publishing arm, Vista Press.