Country Deep Dive: Strengthening Ethiopia’s Research & Innovation Ecosystem
The purpose of this report is to share insights following the implementation of ecosystem strengthening activities in Ethiopia. The RISA Fund partnered with three Ethiopian organisations to bridge the gap between research and commercialisation in agriculture and laid a foundation for university incubation. Implementation of the activities was made possible by cooperation between various stakeholders, including government, researchers, innovators, cooperatives, and civil society.
Ethiopia’s Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policy emphasises research as a driver of growth, yet the ecosystem is constrained by underinvestment of 0.27% of GDP in R&D, weak coordination among stakeholders, low private sector participation, and gender disparities. These challenges have contributed to Ethiopia’s low ranking in the 2024 Global Innovation Index (130/133).
RISA partnered with Jimma University, the University of Gondar (UoG), and Aybar Engineering to strengthen Ethiopia’s research and innovation ecosystem through three approaches: an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem that supported individual innovators and start-ups, an Innovation-Oriented Ecosystem that built institutional incubation frameworks, and a Mission-Driven Ecosystem that mobilised stakeholders in agriculture.
RISA’s interventions in Ethiopia delivered transformative results. At Jimma University, the first incubation hub, with shared facilities, mentoring, and makerspaces, attracted innovators nationwide, while Aybar Engineering validated three affordable farm implements, enabling scale-up and procurement. Over 40 universities endorsed Ethiopia’s first national incubation framework, complemented by a Research-to-Commercialisation curriculum drawing lessons from Kenya, South Africa, and Ghana, forming the basis of a five-year roadmap to strengthen university incubation systems. In agriculture, the University of Gondar’s multi-stakeholder platform supported over 300 farmers, of which 74% were women and 13% persons with disabilities, in adopting improved seeds, irrigation, and post-harvest practices, enhancing yields, incomes, and food security.
Mainstreaming GESI in the implementation yielded strong results. At UoG, female principal investigators increased from 4% to 38% in two years, with four women promoted to leadership. The agriculture project at UoG targeted widows, single women, and persons with disabilities, broadening equity in technology access. Jimma University launched the EmpowerHer and EdTech programmes to recruit women and youth innovators respectively.
Key lessons highlight that inclusion requires intentional design, incubation hubs are catalytic for innovation, validation and proof-of-concept funding are critical to bridging the gap, and peer learning among countries accelerates progress. Next-step priorities in the Ethiopia R&I ecosystem include scaling incubation hubs nationwide using new standards, securing financing for early-stage innovations, institutionalising GESI guidelines across higher education institutions, and deepening university–private sector partnerships to drive inclusive and sustainable growth.
The RISA Fund is funded by UK International Development from the UK government. This content is produced in partnership with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.