Riara, A hub of Innovations

Riara, A hub of Innovations

Shifting focus to his ventures, the professor discussed Solinas Integrity, a startup delivering robotic solutions for water and sanitation systems, and his ongoing work in remote inspection using robotics and guided ultrasound. He also spoke passionately about emerging technologies that excite him, from acoustic metamaterials and quantum sensing to AI-driven interactions with collaborative robots. These ventures, he explained, reflect a deeper commitment to solving practical industrial problems while advancing academic research.

In his final leg, Professor Rajagopal turned the spotlight on Africa, offering a tailored model that could help local institutions spark their own innovation revolutions. He outlined the IITM Model for Africa, a five-point framework titled “ImpACT Feeds Impact”. The model calls for stimulating applied research by faculty, unleashing student creativity, tapping into alumni support, building strong innovation support systems, and actively involving key stakeholders such as universities, industry leaders, NGOs, and governments. According to Professor Rajagopal, these ingredients have been vital to the success of IIT Madras and could be equally transformative in African universities like Riara, where the foundation for innovation already exists but needs coordinated growth and support.

This guest lecture followed the recent success of Riara University students at the RISE 4.0 Hackathon — a competition themed “Reimagining Innovation for Sustainable Ecosystems through Industry 4.0”. Held in partnership with Dedan Kimathi University, the University of Dar es Salaam, and IIT Madras, the hackathon saw Riara students Fatma Swaleh and Michael Mutemi emerge as some of the winners. As part of their award, the students travelled to India, where they had the chance to witness firsthand how innovation thrives within programs like Nirmaan. During the talk, they shared insights from their visit, highlighting how student-led startups at IIT Madras are nurtured through mentorship, hands-on experimentation, and a culture of deep collaboration with minimal supervision.

Closing the session, Riara University Vice Chancellor Prof. Robert Gateru delivered an impassioned call to action, unveiling his bold vision to position Riara as a leading innovation and startup-driven university in Africa. He spoke of a five-year strategic plan to establish the university as a regional innovation hub, one that not only teaches innovation but actively empowers students to turn ideas into prototypes and real-world solutions.

In light of this vision, there was a commitment to the creation of a dedicated maker space or “tinker lab” — a hands-on environment where students of Riara can freely experiment, build, and bring their ideas to life, much like the innovation hubs at IIT Madras.

He emphasized the need to do better than before, to create an environment where student creativity is sparked, supported, and seen through.
One of the most resonant moments came when Professor Rajagopal echoed this vision with a message for educators: that true mentorship begins with presence by walking alongside students, setting the example, and creating space for questions and curiosity rather than control.
Prof. Gateru concluded by urging students to take full advantage of such opportunities to engage, experiment, and become the change-makers of tomorrow.