From idea to asset: Tanzania launches InnoIP initiative to safeguard local creators
Innovators follow a presentation during the official launch of the InnoIP Tanzania Programme at the ongoing National Education, Skills and Innovation Week in Tanga Region on Sunday, August 23, 2026. On the right is Tanga Regional Commissioner, Dr Batilda Burian (in headwrap), and on the left is Costech Director General, Dr Amos Nungu. PHOTO | MBONEA HERMAN
Tanga. Innovators have been urged to keep their creations confidential and secure legal protection before going public to avoid losing ownership rights and commercial opportunities.
The call was made on Sunday, August 23, 2026, by Tanga Regional Commissioner, Dr Batilda Burian, when officially launching the InnoIP Tanzania Programme at the ongoing National Education, Skills and Innovation Week in Tanga.
Dr Burian stressed that innovators must grasp ownership, confidentiality, and record-keeping principles, alongside various intellectual property (IP) safeguards, before exposing their work to the public, potential investors, or commercial partners.
“Innovators must understand issues of ownership, confidentiality, record-keeping, and various protection methods before making public exhibitions, presenting to investors, or entering commercial negotiations,” she noted.
She observed that valuable creations are frequently exposed prematurely, leading to lost proprietary rights, forfeited business prospects, and missed financial returns.
Speaking at the event, Business Registrations and Licensing Agency (Brela) acting chief executive officer, Ms Loy Muhando, stated that the InnoIP Programme addresses core vulnerabilities, including premature disclosure, poor record-keeping, and delayed IP protection.
She warned that such lapses expose start-ups to ownership disputes and cause investors to hesitate due to asset uncertainty.
“Do not wait until an ownership dispute arises, your idea is copied, or an investor conducts due diligence. Keep accurate records and understand the available protection options,” stated Ms Muhando.
Commission for Science and Technology (Costech) director-general, Dr Amos Nungu, explained that InnoIP integrates multi-institutional capacity into a single system, guiding innovators from conceptualisation through IP protection to market entry.
In its first year, the initiative aims to train at least 5,000 participants, assess IP needs for 120 innovators, and secure protection for 20 assets.
Tanga Regional Commissioner, Dr Batilda Burian, speaks during the official launch of the InnoIP Tanzania Programme at the National Education, Skills and Innovation Week in Tanga Region on Sunday, August 23, 2026. PHOTO | MBONEA HERMAN
“Today's launch is not merely celebratory. It marks the start of coordinated national efforts to help Tanzanian innovators transform ideas into protected assets, and those assets into socio-economic value,” stated Dr Nungu.
Participating innovators welcomed the initiative, noting it fills crucial knowledge gaps regarding protection and commercialisation.
Mr Juma Ramadhan noted that training, innovation clinics, expert advisory services, and investor connections would help clear the backlog of creations stuck at the prototype stage.
“The challenge is not just coming up with an idea, but knowing how to protect and commercialise it. This programme offers clarity right from the start,” he said.
Similarly, Mr Salim Shebila highlighted InnoIP as a vital bridge between creators, regulators, investors, and markets.
“Without protection and expert guidance, great innovations remain dormant. InnoIP provides a clear path from concept to commercial enterprise,” he added.
Themed “From Idea to Intellectual Property Opportunities: Protecting Innovation, Building Value, and Accelerating Commercialisation,” the project is jointly executed by Brela and Costech through the Dar Teknohama Business Incubator (DTBi) and Buni Innovation Hub.
