There were no entries from Botswana when the list of
the top ten finalists of the Innovation Prize for Africa (IPA) 2016 was whittled
down from a total of 985 applicants who competed in the premier innovation
contest on the African continent. The award ceremony for the annual Pan African
competition that celebrates African ingenuity was held at the Gaborone
International Convention Centre (GICC) on Thursday evening.
The
overall winner of IPA 2016 is Dr Valentin Agon from Benin who submitted an anti-malaria drug
treatment developed out of natural plant extract. The drug known as Api-Palu is
significantly cheaper than available anti-malarial drugs and is popular in
Central Africa for its therapeutic and non-toxic effects. Malaria is one of the
leading causes of death on the continent and Dr Agon took away US$100,000.00
for his innovation.
Second prize of
US$25,000.00 went to Dr. Imogen Wright
from South Africa who has developed the innovative Exatype, a software
solution that enables healthcare workers to determine HIV positive patients’
responsiveness to ARV drug treatment. Exatype has the potential to contribute
towards effectively managing HIV/AIDS in Africa, and also holds promise in
helping detect drug resistance for other disease burdens such as Tuberculosis
(TB) and malaria.
The Special Prize for
Social Impact went to Dr. Eddy Agbo
from Nigeria who has developed a rapid non-blood diagnostic medical
device that can diagnose malaria in less than 25 minutes. The Urine Test for Malaria (UMT) is simple
and affordable, and a potential game changer in managing malaria across Africa
which has the highest number of malaria cases worldwide. The Special Prize for
Social Impact earned Dr Agbo US$25,000.00
The IPA is a flagship program of the African
Innovation Foundation (AIF) which recognizes, rewards and mobilizes African
innovators through promotion of home-grown, market-driven solutions addressing
intractable challenges in agriculture, health and well-being, manufacturing and
service industry, ICT’s and environment, energy and water.
Botswana Innovation Hub and the Government of Botswana
through the Ministry of Infrastructure, Science and Technology partnered with
the AIF to host the venerated competitions award ceremony in Gaborone. The bid
to host the award ceremony here was endorsed by His Excellency the President
Lieutenant General Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama.
Botswana Innovation Hub has been set up by the
Government of Botswana as an innovative and networked organisation that
promotes technology, entrepreneurship and commercialisation on a purpose built
Science and Technology Park in its
contribution towards diversifying the economy and transitioning to a knowledge
based economy. On the other hand, the Ministry of Infrastructure, Science and
Technology is responsible for providing and maintaining building
infrastructure, nuclear-safe environment and coordinating research, science and
technology.
The establishment of the Sillicon Valley which now
provides a template for the development of Science and Technology Parks and the
fairytale transition of the Irish economy to a modern knowledge based economy
spans well over 50 years. Established in 2012,
Botswana Innovation Hub is still in the infancy of its transition with its
Science and Technology Park still under construction. One of the important
pre-conditions of the development of a Science and Technology Park is the
promotion of cooperation and collaboration between government, industry and academia.
International cooperation and collaboration in particular provides cooperating
parties with a better vision of global processes and enhances
competitiveness.
Notwithstanding its early development stage, Botswana Innovation Hub has already
set up a vibrant national system of innovation with strong linkages between
government, industry and academia. Further still, Botswana Innovation Hub is a
member of the International Association of Science Parks and Areas of
Innovation (IASP) and the company’s CEO Alan Boshwaen has recently been elected
president of the IASP Africa Division.
IASP is the worldwide
network of science parks and areas of innovation that
connects professionals managing science, technology and research parks
(STPs) and other areas of innovation and provides services that drive
growth and effectiveness for its members. The organization strives to enhance
the competitiveness of its members and contribute to global economic
development through innovation, entrepreneurship, and the transfer of
knowledge and technology.
In parallel with the physical infrastructure development, Botswana
Innovation Hub has commenced its core business of innovation support through
innovation support programmes that include a technology entrepreneurship
development programme, First Steps Venture Centre (FSVC), the National
Technology Transfer Office, Microsoft Innovation Centre, Clean-Tech Centre and
the ICT developer community programme called Cyber City Kgotla among others.
So while the emerging national innovation ecosystem did not yield any
ultimate winners at IPA 2016, “Hosting the award ceremony and celebrating African ingenuity in Gaborone
afforded Botswana the opportunity to showcase its commitment to putting
innovation at the center of its development strategy,” said Minister of
Infrastructure, Science and Technology, Honorable Nonofo Molefhi.
Summing up, CEO Alan
Boshwaen said all those involved in the advancement of the frontiers of
innovation, science and technology are winners and Batswana innovators will
benefit from the networks, cooperation, collaborations and business
opportunities that have been presented by IPA 2016. The awareness, exposure and
confidence to participate in the continental competition will embolden local
innovators and strengthen the national innovation ecosystem.
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