Dr. Collins Otieno Odoyo is a distinguished innovation strategist, technology transfer expert, researcher, and ecosystem builder with extensive experience in fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and industry-academia collaboration. As the Director, Innovation and Co-Creation at SUMCO LIMITED, he leads initiatives that transform ideas into impactful solutions by connecting innovators, startups, researchers, investors, and industry partners.

With a strong background in Business Information Systems, Monitoring and Evaluation, ICT for Development (ICT4D), innovation management, and commercialization, Dr. Odoyo has successfully contributed to the development and implementation of innovation programs that support startups, entrepreneurs, and research-driven enterprises. He has worked extensively with universities, government agencies, development organizations, and private-sector partners to create sustainable innovation ecosystems that accelerate economic growth and societal impact.

Dr. Odoyo currently serves as a Senior Lecturer and Associate Dean at the School of Computing and Informatics, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST), where he has championed research commercialization, innovation capacity building, and technology-driven solutions for community development. He has also played a significant role in innovation incubation, startup mentorship, intellectual property awareness, and innovation policy development.

He is also the Coordinator,  MMUST Innovation Academy. Alongside Prof. John Kuria Thuo and Dr. Sum Psusma,  they have published a book in the Innovation space titled "Building Innovation Ecosystems in Higher Education Institutions"

Areas of Expertise

•  Innovation Development and Management
• Startup Incubation and Acceleration
• Technology Transfer and Commercialization
• Product Validation and Market Readiness
• Research-to-Market Linkages
• Innovation Ecosystem Development
• Entrepreneurship and Venture Development
• Strategic Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement
• Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL)
• Digital Transformation and ICT4D

What He Brings to SUMCO LIMITED

 At SUMCO LIMITED, Dr. Odoyo brings a unique combination of academic excellence, practical innovation experience, and ecosystem leadership that strengthens the company's mission of connecting innovators with opportunities for growth and impact.

 His contribution includes:

• Building Strong Innovation Pipelines – Identifying, nurturing, and supporting innovators and startups from ideation to commercialization.
• Driving Co-Creation and Collaboration – Facilitating partnerships between innovators, researchers, industry players, investors, and development partners to solve real-world challenges.
• Enhancing Commercialization Success – Supporting innovators in product validation, market testing, business model development, and scaling strategies.
• Strengthening Innovation Ecosystems – Creating strategic networks that foster knowledge exchange, investment readiness, and sustainable innovation growth.
• Mentorship and Capacity Building – Providing guidance, coaching, and technical support to startups, entrepreneurs, researchers, and innovation hubs.
• Promoting Research Impact – Bridging the gap between research and industry by enabling the translation of scientific discoveries and technologies into market-ready solutions.

 Vision

"Innovation flourishes when ideas, people, and opportunities come together. My vision is to create an ecosystem where innovators are empowered to transform challenges into sustainable solutions that generate economic value and positive social impact."

At SUMCO LIMITED, Dr. Collins Odoyo is committed to advancing innovation-driven development by fostering collaboration, accelerating commercialization, and creating pathways for innovators and researchers to achieve meaningful impact locally, regionally, and globally.