One of the awardees, Joseph Chikaphonya-Phiri, a lecturer in the Electrical Engineering Department who developed a Smart Micro Grid Metering System, received a ten million Kwacha grant for the improvement of his innovation. The innovation seeks to reduce electricity costs for consumers connected to mini-grids across the country. The other awardee, Dr. Chimwewe Msosa, a Biomedical Engineering lecturer, received seven million Kwacha grant for his software innovation application called MedApp. MedApp is aimed at improving efficiency in the maintenance of medical equipment in the country’s hospitals.

Speaking during the grants award ceremony, MUBAS Vice-Chancellor Associate Professor Nancy Chitera said that the time has come to turn academic research and innovation into tangible solutions to the numerous challenges the country is facing. 

Chitera said the UniPod was specifically established to bridge the gap that innovators across the country face when coming up with innovations that can easily benefit the country.

“This facility is open to everyone from every corner of the country. The UniPod was set up to help develop this country through meaningful research and innovation,’’ The MUBAS Vice Chancellor clarified. 

Chitera, furthersaid that research should not only be done to acquire academic accolades but should also benefit both local and global communities.  She had this to say:

“Malawian universities and research institutions have been pivotal in generating insights and knowledge, which will assist in shaping policies both globally and locally, in turn translating into practical applications that directly benefit the national economy. Therefore, the Faculty-Student Programme has been designed to translate research and innovations into viable products.’’ 

She then appealed for close collaboration between the UniPod and the industry which she said is critical to the the country’s transformation. 

‘’ So far, the UniPod has been engaged on some projects with the industry and I am happy to report that we have managed to deliver on the projects that we have been engaged in. Our aim is to build trust and inspire the industry of what we are capable of producing,’’ Chitera further elucidated.

Secretary for Education, Associate Professor Mangani Chilala Katundu, who was guest of honour during the ceremony, said the UniPod has the potential to create an innovation avalanche that can reverberate across the country and spark an unprecedented industrialization drive. He said the country’s overreliance on foreign imports can be reduced if it embraces innovation.

“Let us reflect on how we can bring about export maximization and reduce import substitution. If we export more, we will be able to bring enough forex into this country,’’ advised Dr. Katundu.

Katundu pointed out the need for innovators to take their inventions beyond the design table and aim for mass production to contribute to the country’s economic growth as he said:

“Innovations should not just be for display at conferences, sometimes you see an innovation moving from one conference to the other, lets migrate to mass production of those innovations.”

The UniPod was established with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which also provided funds for the FSP grants. Other awardees included Dr. Steven Wandale and Farai Chigaru from the University of Malawi, and Mr. Naine Mkandawire from UNICAF University, who received grants ranging from seven to ten million Kwacha.