From Research to Startup: Commercialising Green Hospitality Marketing Innovations in Public HEIs- A Case Study of Kyambogo University

Abstract

The global shift toward sustainable hospitality has increased the need for higher education institutions (HEIs) to connect academic research with practical innovation in green hospitality. This study examined how public HEIs, with a focus on Kyambogo University, transform green-hospitality marketing research into marketable innovations and startup enterprises. Despite growing research on green tourism and sustainable marketing, commercialisation remains limited, reducing the potential for innovation-driven impact and employment creation. The study addressed three questions: the nature of green-hospitality marketing research outputs at Kyambogo University, the mechanisms through which these outputs are transformed into innovations and startups, and the factors that facilitate or hinder their commercialisation. A mixed-methods approach was adopted. Purposive sampling was used to select 15 academic staff and innovation managers, while stratified random sampling guided the selection of 60 final-year Hospitality and Tourism entrepreneurship students. Data were collected through document analysis, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and structured questionnaires. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including chi-square tests, multiple regression, and structural equation modelling, while qualitative data were analysed thematically. Findings revealed that although the university generates relevant research outputs in green-hospitality marketing, commercialisation is constrained by weak institutional pathways, inadequate funding, and limited university-industry collaboration. However, student-led green startups emerging from research-based learning demonstrate significant entrepreneurial potential. The study concludes that strengthening institutional frameworks for research commercialisation is essential for advancing green-hospitality entrepreneurship and accelerating the transition from knowledge creation to sustainable business development.