Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI) is a parastatal organisation under the auspices of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives (MTIC).
UIRI’s core activities focus on establishing platforms for value addition; product development; process design; sourcing technologies; fabrication of machinery; managing processing plants; provision of SME outreach services; and business incubation. These activities are supported by an engineering services unit as well as chemistry and microbiology analytical laboratories.
VISION
To be a model Institution and a centre of excellence for the incubation of industry; and to be a pioneer of self-financing Research and Development (R&D) to elevate the level of technology development in Uganda and the region.
MISSION
To catalyse the socio-economic transformation of Uganda and the Region through enhanced technology use.
OBJECTIVES
- To carry out applied research for the development of products and provide platforms for innovation, application of science and technology
- To develop/acquire appropriate technologies in order to create a strong, effective and competitive industrial sector.
- To promote value addition activities so as to transform local raw materials into competitive marketable products.
- To bridge the gap between academia, government, and the private sector and to enhance commercialization of R&D.
CORE ACTIVITIES
- VALUE ADDITION AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT:The Institute acts as a central point for identifying new uses for existing raw materials, improvement and adaptation of materials to higher technology application and develops an integrated matrix for value addition.
- PILOT PROCESSING PLANTS:These serve as hands-on training facilities for local entrepreneurs and also produce ready-to-use products thus acting as the logical completion of product prototyping and market testing of final products.
- BUSINESS INCUBATION:This involves helping and nurturing start-up businesses so that they grow into sustainable enterprises. We provide equipment and facilities such as physical space, laboratory services, skills training, market and other business services.
- TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER:UIRI is spearheading technology transfer for different projects by local entrepreneurs. Success of an enterprise depends on deployment of appropriate technology and the capacity of the entrepreneur to source the requisite technical skills to operate the technology. UIRI offers such essential services to the indigenous enterprises by adapting technologies from abroad or fabricating them locally.
- ANALYTICAL LABORATORY SERVICES:he industrial Chemistry and Microbiology laboratories offer a diverse range of analytical services in the area of product analysis and in support of product development.
We are in a position to support entrepreneurs by providing a platform for R&D, product testing and analysis and marketing. These are critically important starting steps for the development of a fully-fledged enterprise.
