Domain Expert Network

Turn Africa's research into revenue.Be the domain expert who makes it happen.

A curated network of Fractional Domain Experts (FDE) turning African university research into real-world products, patents, and partnerships.
Compensated. Purposeful. Pan-African.

Apply to Join the Network Book a Discovery Call

Who We Are Looking For

Senior practitioners who have done the work.

We are not looking for academics who study technology transfer. We are looking for people who have lived it: IP lawyers who have negotiated licensing deals, scientists who have spun out companies, commercialisation specialists who have taken research from lab to market.

Initial criteria to join:

Hold a PhD, MBA, MSc, or have at least 10 years of domain-specific industry experience.
Deep expertise in your domain, with a track record of practical execution.
Project-based engagements, typically 5–10 hours per month.

Continent, diaspora, and allies all welcome. Africa is home to 1 in 5 people on earth but produces less than 1% of the world's research, and even less of that ever reaches the market. The result is a continent starved of its own commercialisation opportunities. If you have the expertise and you believe Africa and its universities deserve better, there is a place for you here.
Phin Mpofu-Masamba II
Domain Expert, Commercialisation & Ecosystem Development

Academia and domain experts collaborating in a technology transfer workspace

Actively recruiting in 17 focus domains

Built on 40+ canonical expert domain clusters.

Core TTO

IP & Patent StrategyTechnology Licensing & CommercialisationResearch-to-Market StrategyLegal & Regulatory Affairs

Sectors

Life Sciences & BiotechHealthcare & Public HealthAgriTech & Food SystemsWater & Sanitation TechClimate Tech & Clean EnergyNatural Resources & ExtractivesFintech & Financial InclusionICT & Digital InfrastructureData & AI

Enabling Functions

Industry-Academia PartnershipsVenture & Investment ReadinessGo-to-Market & Growth StrategyResearch Funding & Grants

The Role

What being an FDE actually looks like.

A Fractional Domain Expert (FDE) is a senior practitioner matched to university commercialisation projects based on their domain of expertise. You are not an employee. You are not a volunteer. You are a specialist deployed where your knowledge creates the most value.

Project Work

Deployed by MARATTO™ against specific university engagements matching your domain expertise. This is the core of what FDEs do, and how they are compensated.

Thought Leadership

Contributing to MARATTO™ Insights through articles, commentary, and research. This builds your public profile and signals your domain authority within the network. Your contributions are featured on your expert profile.

Platform Representation

Speaking at university events, innovation forums, and ecosystem gatherings as a MARATTO™ expert. This elevates both you and the network across the continent.

Your profile grows with your contributions. The more you publish, engage, and participate, the more visible you become to the universities and partners MARATTO™ works with. This is not a static directory. It is a living reputation.

The Process

Four steps from application to active.

Apply

Complete the application form. Every field contributes to your profile and helps us match you to the right engagements.

Review

MARATTO™ reviews applications on a rolling basis, typically within 5 business days.

Alignment Call

Accepted applicants are invited to a call to discuss domain alignment, capacity, and engagement terms.

Active

Your profile goes live on maratto.africa and you start receiving project-matched opportunities.

Ready to apply?

This is a curated network. Acceptance is meaningful. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and successful applicants are invited to an alignment call before going live.

Apply to Join the Network Book a Discovery Call

Learn more about MARATTO™

Compensated project work

Pan-African network

Curated, not volume-driven

Senior practitioners who have done the work.

Initial criteria to join:

Hold a PhD, MBA, MSc, or have at least 10 years of domain-specific industry experience.
Deep expertise in your domain, with a track record of practical execution.
Project-based engagements, typically 5–10 hours per month.

Continent, diaspora, and allies all welcome. Africa is home to 1 in 5 people on earth but produces less than 1% of the world's research, and even less of that ever reaches the market. The result is a continent starved of its own commercialisation opportunities. If you have the expertise and you believe Africa and its universities deserve better, there is a place for you here.

Phin Mpofu-Masamba II
Domain Expert, Commercialisation & Ecosystem Development

Ready to apply?

This is a curated network. Acceptance is meaningful. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and successful applicants are invited to an alignment call before going live.