We, Muvingi and Mugadza Intellectual Property Department attended the UZ research week which is a special event that was created by the University of Zimbabwe in corporation with the Government of Zimbabwe. The week is specially dedicated to showcase the talented inventors and innovators that we have in Zimbabwe who are at the university. It features students from various faculties like Aeronautical Engineering, Computer Sciences, Food and Nutrition, faculty of Health Sciences among others.


The main aim of the M&M IP department in attending this event was premised on the need to discover new innovators and inventors, see the various projects that they are engaged in, administer advice on the law in relation to IP Law as well as to help them understand better the responsibility of being an inventor and what that especially means in regards to setting up a company and being a shareholder.


During the course of the visit M&M team had the chance to see and inspect various prototypes and computer programmes that have been created. It had the chance to be informed on Asset tracker management system, Macaroni that was made out of sorghum, a new and improved hydroponic system, drones that were created for the tracking and management of crop systems, an incubator for pre-mature children, A thermal tobacco curing system, an app based governmental utility system, a 360 virtual reality system that can be used by Tourists destinations and an unconventional approach to traditional food that is exciting.


The overall appreciation of the experience is the fact that Zimbabwe has a lot of talented young minds and the University in compliance with vision 2030 is on the right track. Although the above is true, it seems most of the inventors lack real and substantial income to pursue these inventions and as much as that is true they also do not understand the implications of registering patents, trademarks and logos. This means M&M has to take measures to rectify this so by holding as many workshops and seminars as possible so as to protect our young innovators and inventors for a safer and brighter future.