Heritors Labs, in collaboration with the Research and Innovation Systems for Africa (RISA) Fund and strategic ecosystem partners, has unveiled The Heritors Institute—an ultramodern skills school that will empower researchers and innovators with the requisite skillset and tools to commercialise their innovations and research outputs—in East Legon.

The Heritors Institute seeks to elevate Africa to a leading position in global innovation through the nurturing of bold, interdisciplinary leaders who will harness science, technology, innovation and research to forge lasting solutions to the problems of the continent.

"Seeing The Heritors Institute (THI) and The Skills School (TSS) come to life is a full-circle moment for me. I have always believed that real progress happens when people have the right skills to build, create, and solve real problems. For us at Heritors Labs, this is about more than training—it is about building cross-generational prosperity in Africa. It is about creating a space where ideas turn into inventions, research drives real solutions, and people gain the expertise to shape industries and economies. This vision has been years in the making. Now, the real work begins.", Derrydean Dadzie, CEO, Heritors Labs

Commissioning the institute, deputy chief executive officer of the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP), Joan Selasie Ahiawordor, tasked Ghanaian researchers and innovators to commercialize their innovations and research works to cushion the country’s growth aspirations.

She also emphasised that NEIP was ready to team up with private actors in Ghana’s research and innovation ecosystem to equip innovators and researchers with the relevant tools to enable them contribute their quota to national development.

“Government has strong confidence in local innovators and researchers and will ensure that existing gaps in the ecosystem are bridged to ensure that they are able to commercialise their works,” she noted.

“NEIP recognizes that innovation and entrepreneurship hoards great prospects for the country’s socio-economic growth and we believe that the Heritors Institute will empower the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs to push this agenda,” she added.

To drive the shift from the labs to the market, the institute will offer courses in scientific and technology excellence, entrepreneurial innovation and commercialization, design thinking and systems leadership.

Vice president of Heritors Labs, Kofi Ocloo, said that the Heritors Institute will help to bridge the gap between research innovations and their application or commercialisation by empowering innovators and entrepreneurs with the right skillset to succeed.

“We want to create an enabling environment where innovators are not just creating, but also protecting their innovation; an economy that will thrive on innovation and not mutation,” he indicated.

According to Mr. Ocloo, the Heritors Institute was ‘a gift to the world’ that will ensure that Africa is not catching up, but leading in innovation, research and technology.

He added: “We want an economy that thrives on innovation and not imitation; we want stop importing everyday consumables and start creating local solutions in the various sectors of the economy, including agriculture, health, and city planning.”

Country technical lead for RISA Fund in Ghana, Gameli Adzaho, called for strong collaboration between the institute and other stakeholder actors to advance innovations in science, technology and innovation in Ghana and across Africa.

He said that integrating the skill school with existing regional initiatives, such as the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), is essential for positioning Africa as a competitive player in the global economy.

“By aligning with ecosystem players, the Heritors Institute can help innovators and entrepreneurs access broader markets, driving economic growth and problem-solving on a global scale,” he recommended.

“Also, for the skill school to maximise its impact, all partners and stakeholders must commit to a shared vision and coordinated efforts. Establishing a strong collaboration framework will ensure that expertise, resources, and opportunities are effectively harnessed to build the Africa we need,” he added.