The State Department for Science, Research and Innovation (SDSRI) was established vide Executive Order No. 1 of June 2025 on the Organization of Government, which assigned specific functions to the State Department. Previously, the functions of science, research and innovation were domiciled within the former State Department for Higher Education and Research under the Ministry of Education — an arrangement that largely confined science, research and innovation to the higher education sector.

The SDSRI is now mandated to provide strategic leadership in the formulation and implementation of policies, programmes, and initiatives that promote scientific research, technological advancement and innovation across all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and County Governments.

The State Department works collaboratively with key institutions such as the National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI), the Kenya National Innovation Agency (KENIA), and the National Research Fund (NRF), alongside other stakeholders, to strengthen research capacity, enhance funding mechanisms, support commercialization of innovations and foster linkages between academia, industry and government.