Botswana Innovation Hub Delegation Visits The Research Triangle region of North Carolina in the US.

 

Botswana’s eminent innovation emissaries Dr Geofrey Selaka (L), Alan Boshwaen (C) and Budzanani Tacheba PhD (Second from R) with hosts Secretary of State Elaine Marshall (Seconf from L) and Major General Gregory Lusk (R) of the North Carolina National Guard

 

Research, science, and technology parks are seen increasingly around the world as a means to create dynamic clusters that accelerate economic growth and international competitiveness. These entities often operate on a public-private partnership (PPP) which is a contract in which government resources and private-sector resources are used to provide a public service or project. The private party in this arrangement provides the public service and/or project and assumes substantial financial, technical and operational risk in the project.

The establishment of the Botswana Innovation Hub (BIH) as a "special purpose vehicle" (SPV) to develop and operate a science and technology park is in line with this arrangement. BIH is a national project and BIH Company manages the assets for the contracted partners rendering it a typical “Triple-Helix” organisation in which the public sector, private sector and academic institutions are involved. Simply put, BIH is a state owned company with private sector partners and investors as well as a buy-in and involvement of academic institutions such as the University of Botswana which brings in the element of Research and Development. The benefit of this kind of set up is that the three different sectors can nurture each other to meet the needs and challenges of society.    

In driving the innovation, science and technology agenda, BIH is committed to technology transfer partnerships and research activities that can impact on sectors important to the national economy. BIH is a platform for innovation, research and international collaborations. Collaboration is a key tenet of Knowledge Management which in itself is an effective method of transferring ‘know how’ and creating and sustaining competitive advantage. CEO Alan Boshwaen emphasises this point by stating that, BIH is not just about the Icon Building and the people who work here, “It is about the networks and partnerships, and the synergies that derive from these collaborations.”  He goes on to state that as Botswana has embraced science, technology and innovation as economic drivers it is important to note that Botswana is part of the global village and that innovation is porous across national boundaries. He states further that, “International collaboration is a critical component for growing a country’s innovation capital.”

It was on the basis of the intrinsic cross pollination imperative of the research, science and technology park DNA that Boshwaen lead a three man team that comprised Director, Cluster Development Budzanani Tacheba PhD and Marketing, Registration and ICT Dr Geoffrey Seleka to The Research Triangle Park (RTP) in the Research Triange region of North Carolina in the United States. Established in 1959 by the US Government, RTP is one of the most prominent high-tech research and development centers in the US, boasting some of the most brilliant minds and some of the most cutting-edge businesses in the world today. The purpose of the voyage was part of the BIH’s on-going networking initiative to understand the unique factors that make up the mature and reputable innovation systems of science and technology parks across the world in order to foster innovation, increase technology transfer and improve the country’s innovation ecosystem. 

The expedition which formed part of the North Carolina’s State Partnership Programme sought to foster a greater relationship between the two countries and build bridges towards growth and cultural understanding for the future as well as allow BIH to create a platform for establishment of partnerships, building of powerful networks, exchange of know-how ,development of innovative approaches and an appreciation of a mature innovation system which brings in the components of the triple-helix to function as one.

On this expedition, the BIH Team met all three components of the RTP triple-helix setting which comprised the public, industry and academic set-up. The delegation met the North Carolina Secretary of State, the Research Triangle Park (RTP) and the North Carolina State University where they talked about expanding Botswana’s economy through science and technology research and international corporations.  “By leveraging and synchronizing all these entities together, Botswana could become a global hub for creation of new technologies and industry improvement in the region. We want to play a key role in developing R&D in Southern Africa and we have the ability to affect nearly 270 million people with the creation of a free trade area initiative in this region,” said Boshwaen. 

Some of the lessons shared by the host institutions included a brief on the RTP’s robust metrics that communicate the societal narrative and the benefits of science, technology and innovation to ensure there is national buy-in and political leadership in driving the innovation, science and technology agenda. The Team was also shown how the North Carolina State devised elaborate strategies towards attracting companies, talent and retaining them in North Carolina. In addition to these, the Team got to appreciate the use of monetary incentive schemes such as the Small Business Innovation Research Awards (SBIR) and the Small Business Technology Transfer Awards (STTR) which engendered competition and maintained enthusiasm at the business entry point.

With regard to marketing, the Team was given a comprehensive and detailed presentation of the process by which the States informs investors of their resources, and how the RTP marketed its value proposition to prospective clients. Specific to the presentation was how RTP managed to convince airlines like British-Airways and American Airlines to introduce the London-Raleigh flight with support from a key industry player, GlaxoSmithKline, a pharmaceutical company borne out of the UK now operating from the Research Triangle Park. The host further shared how their strategic appointment of CEO’s of large multinational to the RTP Foundation Board benefits the region.

When it came to R&D, the delegation was informed that the research centre in the region was developed nearly 60 years ago and had developed into one of the nation’s leading technology hubs. “Companies here invest money in the three local universities in order to attract new graduates and develop on-going relationships with the institutions for research,” said Mason Alistock, Vice President of Business Development at the Research Triangle Foundation of North Carolina. He went on to emphasise the need for a comprehensive land use plan before embarking on the development as well as careful and well planned sales of land. His presentation emphasised the need to create a work and live environment with appropriate recreational amenities.