Midlands State University Innovation Hub
“Where Ideas Grow Wings”
About the Midlands State University (MSU) Innovation Unit
Welcome to the Midlands State University Innovation Unit, the catalyst for transforming ideas into impactful solutions that shape industries, empower communities and drive sustainable development. Guided by Zimbabwe’s heritage-based Education 5.0, the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we are committed to fostering an innovation-driven economy that creates jobs, accelerates industrialisation, and advances national aspirations towards becoming an upper middle-income society by 2030.
Our Mission
To cultivate a vibrant innovation ecosystem that nurtures creativity, embraces technology and empowers students, staff and the community to develop solutions for real-world challenges while contributing meaningfully to Zimbabwe’s sustainable growth and prosperity.
What We Do
Manage and strengthen the University’s innovation ecosystem
embedding a culture of innovation across all disciplines.
Oversee the Innovation Hub
providing advanced facilities for prototyping and product development.
Guide the management and commercialisation of Intellectual Property (IP)
ensuring innovators benefit from their work while protecting MSU’s research outputs.
Support the creation of spin-offs and foster industry-academia collaborations,
turning research into scalable enterprises that contribute to economic growth.
Collaborate with faculties, departments and institutes,
aligning innovation activities with national and global development priorities.
Connect MSU with industry and external partners
delivering consultancy, training and commercial programmes that extend the University’s research and innovation impact
Our Innovation Ecosystem
We support both STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) and SHAPE (Social Sciences, Humanities, and the Arts for People and the Economy) innovations, strategically organised into four key portfolios with clear thematic areas:
Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
The ICT portfolio is at the forefront of digital transformation, driving technological advancements that enhance efficiency and connectivity.
Engineering Innovations
The Engineering portfolio is dedicated to the development of sustainable, efficient, and practical solutions across various engineering disciplines.
Creative Arts and Humanities
This portfolio nurtures creativity and cultural expression, promoting innovation in the fields of arts, media, and social sciences
Physical Sciences / Science and Technology
This portfolio nurtures creativity and cultural expression, promoting innovation in the fields of arts, media, and social sciences
Why It Matters
Every idea we nurture has the potential to become a transformative solution addressing Zimbabwe’s critical needs, from healthcare and food security to digital transformation, industrialisation, and environmental resilience. By empowering innovators, we are actively contributing to building a prosperous, resilient and sustainable Zimbabwe in line with Vision 2030.
At the MSU Innovation Unit, we believe ideas deserve to grow, to soar, and to transform the world.
We are here to ensure they do.
Join us. Innovate with us. Let’s shape the future together