The Humanitarian Engineering and Social Entrepreneurship initiative at Penn State is engaged in several entrepreneurial ventures that integrate teaching, research and outreach to educate entrepreneurial global citizens and create sustainable value for developing communities. Engaging students in publishing the observations and results of these initiatives in peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings is an explicit objective of the program. The Institutional Review Board (IRB) is responsible for overseeing all research efforts that involve human subjects. IRB approval and subsequent compliance is essential for appropriate conduct of research activities. This paper discusses the challenges faced and lessons learned while seeking approval and ensuring compliance from the IRB on five distinct projects undertaken concurrently in Kenya in the summer of 2010. Unexpected situations that arose while gathering data and how they were resolved is also discussed. This paper aims to share insights into planning and executing research components of international entrepreneurial ventures with similar programs.