CIPIT

What CIPIT does

CIPIT (Centre for Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law) is a research and training center established in 2012 and hosted at Strathmore University in Nairobi, Kenya, with a team of 17 employees. The organization conducts evidence-based research, capacity building, and policy engagement at the intersection of law, technology, and innovation across Africa, with focus areas spanning artificial intelligence, data protection and governance, digital rights, intellectual property, digital identity, and cyber law and policy. Its core outputs include the JIPIT academic journal, a portfolio of specialized databases (Industrial IP Database, Data Protection Case Law Library, IP Case Law Library), interactive dashboards mapping the African AI ecosystem (stakeholder frameworks, labour gender gaps, ADM systems, data regulators, gig work landscapes), policy briefs, books, and reports. Notable initiatives include the Nwulite Obodo Open Data License (NOODL), an equitable data licensing framework; the East African AI Policy Hub; the AI Policy Fellowship for policymakers; the biennial Conference on the State of AI in Africa (COSAA); the Jadili civic engagement platform; Salama Online (Mwanaharakati Digital) for human rights defenders; and The Friendly Troll podcast.

CIPIT operates as a non-profit academic institution rather than a commercial technology company, with no venture capital or private equity funding indicated. Its revenue model is grant-based, drawing on research grants from development partners (IDRC explicitly named) and institutional support from Strathmore University. Research outputs, databases, and educational content are made freely accessible through its website. Its customer segments are personas rather than paying accounts: policymakers and regulators (primary), academics and researchers, industry actors, and civil society organizations. Reach is achieved through community-led engagement via conferences, academic publications, podcasts, newsletters, fellowships, and trainings targeting stakeholders across Africa. The organization has established itself as a leading voice in AI governance in East Africa and convenes the regional policy dialogue through its biennial COSAA platform.

Name

CIPIT

Legal name

Centre for Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law

Website

https://cipit.strathmore.edu

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CIPIT is a Strathmore University-based research and training center in Nairobi, Kenya, conducting evidence-based research and policy engagement on AI governance, data protection, digital rights, and intellectual property law across Africa. It serves policymakers, academics, civil society, and industry actors through publications, databases, fellowships, and the biennial COSAA conference.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Nairobi

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Research Grants and Funding: CIPIT operates as an academic research center at Strathmore University, primarily funded through research grants and institutional support. The organization receives funding from development partners and research institutions to conduct policy research and training programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CIPIT is a research and training centre at Strathmore University in Nairobi, Kenya, that produces evidence-based research, policy briefs, working papers, and reports on artificial intelligence governance, data protection, digital rights, and intellectual property law across Africa. It also develops legal databases, interactive dashboards, podcasts, online courses, and capacity-building programs, and convenes stakeholders through policy hubs, fellowships, and conferences.

Product overview

CIPIT (Centre for Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law) is a research and training center at Strathmore University in Nairobi, Kenya, focusing on the intersection of law, technology, and innovation across Africa. The organization offers a portfolio of academic publications including the Journal of Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law (JIPIT), multiple research databases (Industrial IP Database, Data Protection Case Law Library, IP Case Law Library), interactive dashboards for AI stakeholder mapping, labor gender gap analysis, and data governance visualization. CIPIT provides educational programs including a Data Protection Course and AI Policy Fellowship, hosts the biennial Conference on the State of AI in Africa (COSAA), and produces the Friendly Troll Podcast. Notable initiatives include the Nwulite Obodo Open Data License (NOODL) framework for equitable African data sharing, the East African AI Policy Hub, and civic engagement platforms like Jadili and Salama Online for human rights defenders.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Friendly Troll: A podcast series by CIPIT featuring discussions on digital policy, technology law, and innovation in Africa.
• JIPIT
• COSAA
• NOODL

Products and services

• East African AI Policy Hub A regional convening and research platform that coordinates AI policy analysis, joint research outputs, and stakeholder engagement across East African jurisdictions. It is targeted at regulators, civil society, industry, and academics working on AI governance.
• Strathmore Journal of Intellectual Property (JIPIT) An academic journal publishing peer-reviewed scholarship on intellectual property, technology law, and related policy. It serves academic researchers, practitioners, and postgraduate students.
• Data Protection Course A structured training course on data protection law and compliance practice, primarily for in-house legal and compliance staff, lawyers, and students seeking applied expertise.
• AI Policy Fellowship A fellowship program that equips mid-career policy practitioners, regulators, and researchers with applied skills in AI policy research and engagement. It is for professionals working in government, academia, civil society, or industry.
• Jadili Fellows A fellowship program that develops civil society and grassroots digital rights advocates through applied research and advocacy projects, typically for individuals working on technology policy in Africa.
• Data Protection Case Law Library A curated database of judgments, complaints, and regulatory decisions on data protection across African and comparative jurisdictions. It is used by lawyers, compliance officers, regulators, and academics for benchmarking and analysis.
• IP Case Law Library A searchable database of intellectual property judgments across African jurisdictions, used by IP practitioners, academic researchers, and policymakers.
• Industrial IP Database A database tracking industrial property rights (patents, trade marks, industrial designs) and supporting analytics. It is used by IP practitioners, regulators, and researchers.
• AI and Digital Rights Tracker Dashboards Interactive dashboards that visualise and track AI policy and digital rights developments across African jurisdictions, used by regulators, civil society, and researchers to monitor the regulatory landscape.
• Privacy Policy Tool An online tool that helps organisations draft privacy policies aligned with the Kenyan Data Protection Act. It is used by SMEs and in-house compliance teams without dedicated legal counsel.
• Friendly Troll Podcast A long-running podcast covering technology law, IP, and digital rights issues in Africa. It is aimed at practitioners, students, and the general public interested in technology policy.
• Mwanaharakati Digital newsletter A periodic newsletter targeting digital rights advocates, civil society practitioners, and policymakers with concise analyses of recent technology law developments.
• USKEFTA Insights A research and commentary stream focused on the digital, data, and IP dimensions of UK–East African trade and partnership arrangements. It is used by trade negotiators, policymakers, civil society, and industry stakeholders.
• Unveiling Privacy Infographic series A series of infographics that translate privacy and data protection concepts for general public and civil society audiences, supporting digital rights awareness and advocacy.
• COSAA Conference A recurring conference convening African and international stakeholders to discuss current issues at the intersection of technology, law, and policy. It is targeted at academics, regulators, industry, and civil society.
• NOODL (Network of Open Digital Law) A collaborative network/resource compiling open access content on digital law across African jurisdictions, aimed at researchers, students, and practitioners.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability12 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Maseno UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Maseno Centre for Applied Artificial Intelligence (MCAAI) at Maseno University became the first community to implement NOODL in practice, applying the license to African language datasets. This represents a live demonstration of equitable licensing moving from principle to practice.
• Data Science Law LabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership in the development of the Nwulite Obodo Open Data License (NOODL). Data Science Law Lab worked with CIPIT researchers on this equitable data licensing framework designed to address inequities in standard open licenses for African datasets.
• Strathmore UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIPIT is based at Strathmore University in Nairobi, Kenya. The university provides institutional hosting and support for the center's research and training activities.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Future of Privacy Forum: A non-profit that produces research, convenes stakeholders, and advises on data protection and emerging technology policy. Shares CIPIT's focus on data protection frameworks and engagement with regulators, with a global rather than African focus.
• AI Now Institute: A leading AI policy research institute at New York University producing influential reports on AI governance, accountability, and rights. Comparable to CIPIT in research-driven AI policy output, though with substantially greater resources and a U.S./global focus.
• Mozilla Foundation: A global non-profit that funds research, advocacy, and convenings on internet health, AI accountability, and digital rights. Shares CIPIT's mission of evidence-based digital policy advocacy and grantee-style convening of researchers and civil society.
• Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society: A Harvard-based research center studying cyberspace, AI governance, and digital rights. Comparable to CIPIT in academic hosting, fellowship programs, and policy-oriented publications, though with global scope and far larger resources.

Direct peers

• Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria: A university-based center conducting research and capacity building on human rights, including digital rights and technology law in Africa. Mirrors CIPIT's academic-hosted research center model with policy engagement and fellowship programs.
• Paradigm Initiative: A pan-African digital rights and inclusion organization operating programs across multiple African countries. Overlaps with CIPIT on digital rights advocacy, policy engagement, and capacity building, though with a more civil-society rather than academic posture.
• Research ICT Africa: A Cape Town-based think tank conducting evidence-based research on ICT policy, data governance, and digital rights across Africa. Shares CIPIT's model of policy research, capacity building, and stakeholder convening, though primarily focused on Southern Africa.
• Data Science Law Lab: A research initiative focused on the legal dimensions of data and AI. Closely comparable to CIPIT as a direct collaborator on the NOODL framework and overlapping research on data licensing, AI ethics, and technology law.

Regional players

• African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies: A regional human rights organization covering digital rights and governance in Africa. Overlaps with CIPIT on digital rights and policy engagement but operates from The Gambia with a more human-rights-centric mandate.

Emerging players

• Lacuna Fund: A collaborative fund supporting the creation of labeled datasets and machine learning models in underrepresented languages and regions, including Africa. Adjacent to CIPIT's NOODL initiative and AI stakeholder mapping work on equitable data governance.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/centre-for-intellectual-property-and-information-technology-law

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about CIPIT