Across Kenya’s construction sites, a silent problem lurks inside walls and foundations: cracks caused by salty water and the natural weakening of cement. More than 65 percent of buildings and structures will develop micro-cracks during their lifetime. If untreated, these can grow into structural failures, lead to leaking walls, or cause unsightly peeling and discoloration. For Professor Jackson Wachira Muthengia, Registrar (Academics, Research & Extension) at the University of Embu, and his co-founder, Lawrence Nthiga, this was a challenge too important to ignore. Their response was to create an additive that prevents the problem before it begins. The result is Cracksfox, a smart biocement additive that automatically seals micro-cracks during construction, continues to seal future cracks, works as a waterproofing agent, and enhances the strength of concrete.

“Developing an innovation is not a one-day thing,” Prof. Jackson says of the long journey from lab to market. “You have to test, develop, and iterate. With any idea, the most important thing is to solve a real pain point.” The team subjected Cracksfox to rigorous tests in harsh conditions; from salty water to septic tanks and consistently found that it could resist cracks where ordinary cement failed. Mixed at just two kilograms for every fifty-kilogram bag of cement, Cracksfox helps prevent problems that would otherwise compromise a building’s durability. Offered today in two-kilogram packs at KES 300, with a smaller 500-gram pack under development at KES 170, the product has a shelf life of seven years and extends a building’s lifespan by over five decades.

Turning this discovery into a viable business required more than science. Like many innovators in universities, the team faced challenges with packaging, branding, and navigating policies that often prioritize research publications over commercialization. The Kenya National Innovation Agency (KeNIA) provided the bridge. Through the Presidential Innovation Challenge and Award, where the University of Embu’s Cracksfox innovation emerged as First Runners-Up in Climate Action and Green Energy, the project received KES 3 million in funding. KeNIA also provided critical training on converting laboratory solutions into marketable products and supported the team in registering their utility model and trademark.

Lawrence Nthiga, the project’s co-founder, emphasizes the importance of this transition. “On the go-to-market strategy, we are looking at rapid adoption across the construction value chain and strong proof points and cases,” he explains. The objectives are ambitious: achieve product–market fit by the first quarter of 2026, secure five key B2B partners within six months, generate 800 end-user trials, and build thirty percent aided brand recall. Their target market includes contractors, fundis, developers, and distributors, with distribution channels ranging from hardware chains to demo vans that will showcase Cracksfox in real time.

The scale of the vision is immense. Cracksfox is already valued at approximately KES 300 million in patents and intellectual property, and the team is seeking to raise KES 180 million to move into mass production, marketing, and operations. University investments have added KES 10 million worth of equipment for scaling up, while partnerships are being forged with regulators and industry stakeholders such as the Engineers Board of Kenya, the Institution of Engineers of Kenya, the National Construction Authority, the Kenya Bureau of Standards, and the Kenya Association of Manufacturers. International collaborations, including with North Carolina State University and Verteciments Consulting, are also in the works to strengthen industrial capacity.

For Prof. Jackson, the bigger picture extends beyond his own invention. “On ensuring success of innovations, we need to look at people, the process, and funding,” he says. “We have to deal with the mindset, attitude, and capacity building of personnel to come up with frameworks and policies that promote innovation.” He believes that supporting innovators like those behind Cracksfox not only creates jobs but also strengthens industries and uplifts communities.

The Cracksfox story is more than the tale of a single product; it is a demonstration of how Kenyan innovations can grow from academic research into solutions with global potential. It is also a testament to KeNIA’s catalytic role in unlocking that journey. What began as a laboratory experiment is now on the path to becoming an industrial enterprise, sealing not only cracks in buildings but also the gap between research and commercialization. As Prof. Jackson reflects, “With an idea, the most important thing is to think of how to develop it into solving the pain point.” Cracksfox has done just that, and in doing so, it is helping build the future of construction in Kenya, one strong, crack-free wall at a time.