The Research and Innovation to Commercialization (R2C) Workshop, convened under the Nigerian Impact Investing Research and Industry Collaborative (NIIRIC) and facilitated by Moolu Venture Lab with support from the Impact Investors Foundation (IIF) and UKAid/RISA, represents a landmark intervention in bridging Nigeria’s persistent gap between academic research and market adoption. Held in April 2025 with 76 participants across academia, industry, government, and investment sectors, the hybrid workshop deployed a lean, action-oriented methodology to transform research outputs into viable commercial pathways. Structured across four intensive modules—research commercialization frameworks, intellectual property and business models, investment readiness, and commercialization roadmaps—the workshop combined expert-led sessions with interactive exercises, producing tangible outputs including 100% completion of business model canvases, 45 intellectual property strategy maps, and five commercialization roadmaps. Baseline-to-endline assessments demonstrated transformative impact: participants’ knowledge of IP frameworks rose from 20% to 70%, viable business model design from 15% to 85%, and investment confidence from 15% to 55%. The program’s gender-neutral and inclusivity-driven design ensured that 45% of participants were women, spotlighting underrepresented researchers and reinforcing equity in Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem. Beyond capacity building, the workshop catalyzed systemic recommendations: creation of a national IP advisory hub, capacity strengthening of Technology Transfer Offices, gender-lens funding mechanisms, and researcher–industry matchmaking platforms. By convening policymakers, investors, and innovators in a shared space, the initiative seeded a new Community of Practice and laid the foundation for a sustainable commercialization ecosystem. This pioneering model demonstrates that with inclusive design, agile facilitation, and strategic partnerships, Nigeria can unlock its research potential, accelerate the transition from discovery to market, and contribute scalable solutions to national and global challenges.