KNUST receives US$3m Mastercard Foundation Prize for excellence in innovation 

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has been named among the inaugural winners of the Africa Higher Education for Transformation (AHEFT) Prize. KNUST was recognized in the category of Excellence in Research and Innovation for building one of Africa's leading research-to-innovation ecosystems and for demonstrating how science, technology, entrepreneurship, and industry collaboration could contribute to economic transformation, job creation, and public impact. As one of five inaugural winning institutions, KNUST would receive US$3 million to scale up transformative initiatives agreed with the Mastercard Foundation and expand educational and economic opportunities for young people across Africa.

The US$3 million award is expected to support the University in expanding its research-to-innovation pipeline, strengthening incubation and entrepreneurship programmes, deepening industry partnerships, and increasing opportunities for young people to transform innovative ideas into viable enterprises and sustainable solutions. KNUST's recognition reflects its long-standing commitment to translating research into practical solutions that address societal and economic challenges. Through platforms such as the Kumasi Business Incubator, the Innovation Centre, and the Technology Consultancy Centre, the University has successfully supported the transformation of research outputs into start-ups, industry solutions, technologies, and interventions with measurable public impact.