The ResUp MeetUp (Research Uptake)community is designed to help research uptake and communication professionals keep up-to-date with this rapidly evolving field. The African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP), the Institute of Development Studies (UK) and Quaternary Consulting convened the first ResUp MeetUp Symposium and Training Exchange in Nairobi, Kenya, from February 9–12, 2015. The overarching goal of the forum was to explore issues surrounding the utilisation of research evidence in decision-making by policymakers, programme implementers and communities, among others (i.e. research uptake). Research uptake is an emerging field that is not yet very well understood. As such, the forum sort to explore emerging issues in the processes of research uptake in order to develop a deeper understanding of the evolving concept of research uptake.