2014 IASP Africa Division Conference Lays a Solid Foundation for a Weightless Economy

The establishment of science and technology parks in Africa finds its rationale in the willingness of African countries to seek greater competitiveness of their economies through improved achievement of their scientific, technological and innovation potential says McLean Sibanda president of the International Association of Science and Technology Parks (IASP) and Areas of Innovation (AI’s) Africa Division.  Sibanda, who is also CEO of The Innovation Hub in South Africa, was speaking at the just ended 2014 IASP Africa Division conference that took place at Gaborone International Convention Centre (GICC) from the 9^th to the 11^th April, 2014.

Botswana Innovation Hub in association with the Southern Africa Innovation Support (SAiS) programme, BoFiNET, Dimension Data, BOCRA, Botho University and Orange Botswana hosted the 2014I ASP Africa Division Conference. The conference brought together leaders, experts, and professionals from science and technology parks, areas of innovation, technology-based incubators, (all collectively referred to as “STPs & AIs”) academia, the public sector and businesses.

The theme of the conference was, ‘Science and Technology Parks (STP’s) expanding economic frontiers in Africa.’ The conference had three sub-themes, the first being Science Parks and Economic Diversification which discussed the role STP’s play in addressing job creation and socio-economic challenges. The second sub-theme, Africa and Innovation, discussed the challenges in the continent that science, technology and innovation can and is addressing. The final sub-theme, Science, Technology and Sustainable Development discussed the role of STP’s and AI’s in sustainable development, with particular emphasis on sustainable energy production, water conservation, waste management, service delivery and productivity in Africa.

IASP is the worldwide network of science parks and areas of innovation with over 388 members in 71 countries. The association connects professionals managing science, technology and research parks and other areas of innovation and provides services that drive growth and effectiveness for its members. Botswana Innovation Hub is an affiliate member of IASP while it works on its operations, service offering and membership volume to qualify for full membership.

In an scenario where, “it is now generally accepted that Africa is the richest continent in the world by natural resources but the poorest by bank balance, Africa’s blessings must not just be seen in its numerous resources, its biodiversity or its topographical beauty but in its people who are a spiritual and physical resource.” The advent of the knowledge-based or weightless economy where the economy is driven by people and their interaction and production in the exchange of both explicit and tacit knowledge recognizes people as the most important pillar of business success and information as a critical resource that is essential for the knowledge-based economy.

This view is supported by Barbra Jansen who states that, “Information is the currency for knowledge and a social and economic asset whose acquisition enables one to form intelligent opinions and sound business decisions.” She asserts that information is a prerequisite for the development of any individual, organization or nation and is widely regarded as the most democratic form of power, and that power in the politics and economies of the future will flow to those who have the best information and knowledge.

Officially opening the conference, Vice President of the Republic of Botswana, Hon. Dr Ponatshego Kedikilwe said the recognition of the economic value of knowledge has created an enabling environment for the establishment of science and technology parks. Dr Kedikilwe said science and technology parks have set out to rewrite the African economic order by addressing the African puzzle of abundant resources in the midst of poverty and how the continent can address this by providing unique platforms for knowledge-based economies that diversify and expand African economic frontiers.

Dr Kedikilwe said that innovation plays a pivotal role to the economic status of countries and that it is critical for governments to give support to projects, companies and individuals who show interest in innovation.“It is through innovation that some countries around the world have excelled their economies, hence equipping their people with the necessary  tools and support to carry out such projects to sustain their local demands to even the outside markets,” revealed Kedikilwe.

He added that with the theme of the conference being, ‘Science and Technology Parks expanding economic frontiers in Africa,’ it is no doubt that innovation of new ideas and establishment of technology parks by governments such as the Botswana Innovation Hub is a clear indication that African countries are also identifying the importance of innovation as a critical aspect of boosting their economic fortunes.

In his address to the conference, the Director General of IASP, Luiz Sanz said through the establishment of Botswana Innovation Hub, government recognizes the economic challenges that Botswana as a nation and Batswana as a people face as a direct or indirect consequence of being part of the greater global community. He praised the establishment of Botswana Innovation Hub as a game changer that forges the way forward for the country to transform its economy from being resource based to that which depends on knowledge as its main raw material.

The conference delegates came from across the world with presentations from places such as Nigeria (Abuja Technology Village), Morocco (Techno Park), Tanzania, Namibia, Mozambique, Spain, Switzerland, South Africa and many others.

Speaking at the end of the conference, Botswana Innovation Hub CEO Alan Boshwaen said the conference was a resounding success, “From our point of view, the conference achieved the primary objective of deepening stakeholder awareness about the role of science technology parks and areas of innovation and strengthening inter SADC, Africa and international networks that can coalesce further and catalyze action around the conference themes.” He said the conference allowed Botswana Innovation Hub to cultivate and leverage a community of experts as well as build a deeper consensus about its role in the Botswana innovation system and the progress made.

For his part, Botswana Innovation Hub’s Marketing, Registration and ICT Director, Dr Geoffrey Seleka believes that, “Building on the success of the conference, we are confident that with the commencement of construction of the parks Icon Building, the increasing strategic partnerships that offer professional innovation support, the ongoing and expanding programmes that cultivate a vibrant innovation ecosystem and the growing membership numbers we will soon qualify for full IASP membership. He thank sponsors and participants for a successful conference that builds a solid foundation for the country’s knowledge-based economy.  

All conference papers have been posted on the conference portal on the Botswana Innovation Hub website: www.bih.co.bw

First Steps Venture Centre ‘Blazing’ The 2014 IASP Africa Division Pre-Conference Training

As the world leaders, experts and professionals from Science and Technology parks, areas of innovation and technology - based incubators, academia, the public sector and business converge in Gaborone for the 2014 IASP Africa Divison Conference, First Steps Venture Centre (FSVC) is putting together a showstopper curtain raiser to the conference dubbed the ISAP Africa Division Pre-Conference Training.

The showpiece with a youth and technology entrepreneurship focus is slated for 9^th April, 2014 at Gaborone International Convention Centre (GICC). The theme of the workshop is, “Expanding African Economic Frontiers through Emerging Technology Entrepreneurs and Innovators.”

The workshop will address issues around Business Incubation and Acceleration, Financing Technology Startups and Protection of Intellectual Property. Also featured into the workshop are real-life testimonials from distinguished business leaders and guests in the technology entrepreneurship development and enterprise development space at The Innovation Hub of South Africa.

Also included in the lineup is an exciting module on How to slay the Dragon. Based on the famous BBC Dragons’ Den television programme which features entrepreneurs pitching their viable and potentially very profitable business ideas to a panel of venture capitalists “Dragons” with a view to secure investment finance from the panel.     

FSVC Programme Manager, Tshepo Tsheko says, “The goal of the event is to put into perspective some of the key components of becoming a successful technology entrepreneur.” He called on, “all Techies, youth, entrepreneurs and those aspiring alike to come and be part of an emerging and interactive platform that is aimed at assisting them with making bankable business proposals. He said he hoped The Dragons Dan will engender investment opportunities for FSVC hosted startup companies.   

 

Botswana Innovation Hub Hosts the 2014 IASP Africa Division Conference

Botswana Innovation Hub in association with the Southern Africa Innovation Support (SAIS) programme will host the 2014 International Association of Science Parks (IASP) and Areas of Innovation (AI) Africa Division Conference from the 9^th to the 11^th April, 2014 at Gaborone International Convention Centre (GICC). IASP is the worldwide network of science parks and areas of innovation with over 388 members in 71 countries. The conference will bring together leaders, experts, and professionals from Science and Technology Parks, areas of innovation, technology-based incubators, (all collectively referred to as “STPs & AIs”) academia, the public sector and businesses.

The theme of the conference is, ‘Science and Technology Parks (STP’s) expanding economic frontiers in Africa.’ The conference has three sub-themes, the first being Science Parks and Economic Diversification which will discuss the role STP’s play in addressing job creation and socio-economic challenges. The second sub-theme, Africa and Innovation, will discuss the challenges in the continent that science, technology and innovation can and is addressing. The final sub-theme, Science, Technology and Sustainable Development will discuss the role of STP’s and AI’s in sustainable development, with particular emphasis on sustainable energy production, water conservation, waste management, service delivery and productivity in Africa.

The major objective of the conference is to discuss and debate in depth the trends in STPs and AIs across Africa and the world as increasingly complex structures for professional innovation support, helping to achieve local and regional economic development objectives. 

The conference will be officially opened by the Minister of Infrastructure, Science and Technology, Hon. Johnie K. Swartz and will be addressed by the Director General of IASP, Luiz Sanz, the Africa Division President of IASP and CEO of South Africa Innovation Hub McLean Sibanda and delegates from Nigeria (Abuja Science Park Village), Morocco (Techno Park), Tanzania, Namibia, Mozambique, Spain and many others.

It is as well of great importance to mention that key players in the creation of the local innovation ecosystem will participate in the conference. The local participation spans the academic, business and government spheres of the science, technology and innovation landscape. Some key local participants are Hon. MP Odirile Motlhale, Chairman of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Technology; Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BUIST) Vice Chancellor, Professor Hilary Inyang; Botswana Confederation of Commerce Industry and Manpower (BOCCIM) President Leta Mosienyane and UNDP Resident Coordinator Anders Pederson.

The three day conference will be preceded by a Pre-Conference Training with a youth and technology entrepreneurship startup focus. The workshop will address issues around Business Incubation and Acceleration as well as Financing Technology Startups and Protection of Intellectual Property. Also factored into the training programme is an exciting module on how to slay the Dragon, which deals with real life examples on what makes a bankable business proposal.          

The IASP Africa Division Conference kicks off with a welcome reception for registered delegates on the evening of the 9^th April, and then the main conference proceedings on the 10^th April and culminated by a gala dinner at the Botswana Innovation Hub Park on the 10^th April. The conference will end on the 11^th April at 13h00. Tours to the technology business incubation facility, First Steps Venture Centre, will be arranged for 11^th

 

A village boy who could reshape the global village

Justice William

Justice William likes to view himself as an advert for Botswana’s educational policies and the public education system. A man with a humble background, he did all his pre-tertiary schooling in his home village Bobonong, starting out at Madikwe Primary School, through to Mosetlha Junior Secondary School, and winding up  at Matshekge Hill School, where he graduated with a  first class in 1996.

After a two-year BSc foundation programme at University of Botswana, he was selected to study Environmental and Civil Engineering in Canada. As part of the curriculum, he had to take introductory Java programming. It was a rough awakening when in one of the project modules he scored the lowest mark in a class of around 500 students. Initially, he took the defensive route; afterall, he was in class with kids that had grown up with computers and had taken computing lessons in secondary school. Afterwards, he decided that he was going to study programming to avoid a repeat of the 47% mark.

 “It turned out that the more I practised the more I realised that I was a natural in analytical thinking required for programming,” he recalls. “I then decided to ask the ministry of education to allow me to switch programmes. From 47% I managed to be in the Dean’s honours list by the time I graduated and have an offer from Microsoft before I even had my degree.”

Having identified where his passion really lie, he changed his study programme to software engineering.

By his account, William’s journey to one of the world’s biggest firms Microsoft was unexpected. He had never submitted his CV to the company. His suspicion is that someone who knew his work may have. Out of the blue, a call came through inviting him for an interview, and the company flew him business class to Seattle, Washington.

“I had never been in business class before,” he quips. “I kept thinking, ‘these guys know how to spoil a candidate’. I went through the most rigorous interview from 7am to around 7pm and by end of the day I was confident an offer was coming since I had met some high level executives in the group.”

An offer, which he accepted promptly, arrived within a few days of the interview.

“It was all very humbling,” he looks back. “A young guy from Bobonong, not a child of the connected elite, never been to private schools, but just out of hard work was at Microsoft. I was rubbing shoulders daily with guys and ladies that can be classified as the best in the world and I guess I was also good enough to be called that too. My origins are, without question, very humble and had it not been for the opportunity to study overseas I would not have done software engineering and therefore all due thanks to Botswana’s educational policies.”

William I joined Microsoft as part of the MSN Messenger team (now called the Windows Live), which worked on the chat application that was used daily by millions of people worldwide. In the days before Facebook, Messenger was a hot item in its time, allowing users to chat, or make calls. William’s role included working on Manageability systems that lea to collaboration with MSN Search (now called Bing).

“I believe the application that was developed as part of this inspired the now successful Microsoft System Center,” he suggests, “although System Center was released way after I left Microsoft.”

After two years at Microsoft, he wanted a change. There were good offers from some reputable names, including from Amazon. But he chose to join a smaller company called Medio, which built search engines and he became the lead developer for T-Mobile International, where he built a code running in five European countries. He wrote codes such as the Yahoo Integration.

William looks back at Medio as the company where he greatly matured as a developer because he was given more challenging tasks than at Microsoft, or would have possibly gotten at Amazon.

“When I turned down the Amazon offer I refused a US$20,000 signing bonus and a higher pay cheque, but I never regretted it as I grew more as a professional by joining Medio,” he says.

When the urge to come back home set in, William briefly consulted in South Africa. One of the major projects he undertook in South Africa was as part of a team that built a new behind scenes trade integrating platform for one of the country’s major financial institutions, Rand Merchant Bank.

For the past three years, he has focused on personal entrepreneurial initiatives, and in the process developed some revolutionary applications. One idea grew out of the anger and frustration he felt after being stuck for hours in a queue at the Registrar of Companies and Intellectual Property. By the end of that day, he had started penciling the idea of a queue management system that he would call World Queues.

“I worked day and night,” he recalls. “Three months later we had the first version of the queue management system that we put on a trial in Botswana Savings Bank banking halls at Broadhurst. The system that I developed from scratch with not even a small budget worked like a charm,” he says.

The system manages customer flow by allowing customers to digitally queue through the platform and then calling them as their queue spots reach the customer service. It permits queuing online, or via sms, after which the customer receives an acknowledgement that informs them of their reference number and the time they can expect to be served. The system is ideal for service providers that are prone to long queues such as hospitals and banking halls.

With two collaborators, Martin Moatshe and Motlhalosi Ntwaetsile, he has developed Intelligent Quotations, a platform that allows someone to request quotations from many suppliers at once, as well as being able to locate service providers in their locality. Although initially meant for companies to post requests for quotations (RFQs) and tenders, he realised that he could serve an even bigger market by widening the scope to include a wide range of services and service providers.

The way it works is that someone who needs a service – be it a painter, plumber, or mechanic – posts it at www.intelquotations.com, and the posting immediately reaches all the registered service providers in that particular service category. Similarly, procurement officers in different companies and departments would simply post RFQs and tenders notices at www.intelquotations.com, which will instantly reach all the registered companies that supply the required goods and services.

“Intelligent Quotations that can change the world and put transparency to the procuring processes of different countries,” he explains.

The next step is to introduce virtual stores within Intelligent Quotations for local producers of items like crafts, baskets and artworks, thereby exposing them to international clientele.

“I remember how the people in the US like dibaga, manyena a Setswana, and our traditional baskets, but for the local producers setting up an e-commerce website to sell their products would be a tall order. That’s why we will allow them to create a store, take pictures of their merchandise, put pricing and when a customer buys we will handle all the credit card application, facilitate shipping and hold the payment escrow until the customer has received the merchandise and is satisfied with it. Then we release the payment locally to the seller. We believe as we expose the sellers internationally they can get better prices for their wares internationally,” William says.

At the Botswana Innovation Hub, there is what is known as the Microsoft Innovation Center (MIC). It is a result of partnership between Botswana Innovation Hub and Microsoft Corporation, and part of its mandate is to support and facilitate R&D as well as education and innovation activities in ICT. Through the BizSpark programme that supports ICT and technology innovation start-ups with potential to be scaled up, Microsoft Innovation Center will offer Intelligent Quotations assistance that includes technical support and global visibility, as well as training and virtual incubation. The Microsoft Innovation Center manager Patel Barwabatsile explains that Botswana Innovation Hub sees great potential for Intelligent Quotations to be scaled up into a global business with enormous commercial success.

When William explains the potential for job creation and foreign revenue generation, he draws a parallel with the United States company Google, which has users throughout the world yet most of the jobs it created are in its home country.  William has a vision of Intelligent Quotations becoming global player with a Botswana-based support structure that includes software developers, call centres, billing systems, and administrative offices. He projects thousands of jobs within a few years.

He is already planning to give Intelligent Quotations more capabilities. These include adding support of all international languages, and building mobile phone support, which will make it downloadable globally through platforms such as Google Play, and Apple Store.

Could Intelligent Quotations be the next major foreign revenue earner for Botswana?

“There is no limit to how much this can earn for Botswana,” he responds. “We just have to market it regionally and internationally to get global penetration.”

Article adopted from The Sunday Standard                     

Author: Mesh Moeti

 

 

 

Building a Culture of Innovation

Botswana Innovation Hub CEO Alan Boshwaen

Like all innovative thinkers, Mpho Motsamai sees a business opportunity behind each inadequacy. He is part of a team of final year software engineering students at Botho College behind the revolutionary cash dispenser that, if it reaches product stage, stands to change how pensioners are served.

Named Tandabala, after the old age pension, the dispenser uses both fingerprint and face recognition for authentication, kinect technology and a touch screen that represents cash in image form, thus making it easier for the elderly to use. Also allowing easy navigation is the device’s audio capability, while the kinect studies if the user has any problems using the dispenser.

The concept’s developers – Motsamai (24), Kabelo Bolaane (23) and Givemore Mvumba (22) – first entered it in local ICT competitions in 2011. This year the team won the Botswana leg of the Imagine Cup 2013, co-hosted by Botswana Innovation Hub (BIH) and Microsoft Innovation Center. As local champions, they represented Botswana at the Microsoft Imagine Cup finals, the world’s premier student technology competition, in St. Petersburg, Russia.  

Even as it might be a while before the invention becomes a product, perhaps it best illustrates what BIH’s chief executive officer Alan Boshwaen means when he says Botswana has to inculcate a culture of innovation and build support systems around it. He makes reference to last year’s World Economic Forum report that observed that though Botswana has done well in building strong institutions, it is scoring weaker in terms of technological readiness and sophistication. It is a gaping gap that, hopefully, BIH will mobilise stakeholders to fill.

BIH is a government-owned company that was borne out of the Botswana Excellence Strategy which proposed a three pronged National Strategic Goal for the diversification of the country’s economy, creation of jobs and driving the country towards a knowledge-based economy. The company has a broad mandate to develop and operate Botswana’s first Science and Technology Park – which is currently under construction – to contribute to economic development and competitiveness by creating new scientific, technological, and indigenous knowledge based business opportunities, as well as add value to existing companies, and foster entrepreneurship and technology transfer. It is expected that when operational, the park will be home to innovative companies and research institutions, both homebrewed and foreign, leading to creation of knowledge-based jobs.

The company has prioritized four focus sectors: mining, ICT, bio-technology as well as energy and environment given their importance to Botswana’s economy and potential to drive economic diversification.

Boshwaen’s view of innovation is as an enabler that will make Botswana more competitive in terms of adopting different approaches and new technologies, but not necessarily hi-tech.

“When you talk science and technology, often people think hi-tech things that are done in developed countries,” he says. “But if you instill a simple culture of innovation and build support for it you get meaningful results.”  

He gives the example of what used to be a common feature in public buildings throughout Botswana – rainwater tanks.

“This was not hi-tech, but it was a good and effective water conservation innovation,” he says.

The starting point, therefore, is to identify a problem, and then find an intervention that resolves the problem to move society forward. Take the cash dispenser, for instance. If it is eventually deployed, its developers believe it would eliminate the long queues at social grant payment points, and the need to carry coupon books, which get lost and can be destroyed if not handled with care.

“The other main thing about the current system,” says Motsamai, “is that whenever a beneficiary moves to a new place, they have to re-register in that district as one of the pensioners. Of course, this might take some time and as a result, the pensioner would not get their money on time.”

Boshwaen believes two things must happen to set Botswana on the way to being an innovative society. The first is development of better mechanisms to fund new ideas that have been tested and are proven to work. The second is to create an internal culture to take up these ideas and put them to effective use.

He sees BIH assisting in putting the ideas into products either through funding or entrepreneurial training. He emphasises the idea’s viability and relevance, as well as marketability. He believes the country has to be innovative in funding ideas by learning from the developed world. 

“We can create an opportunity for people [with new ideas] to pitch those ideas to businesspeople,” he suggests. “That is what happens in advanced countries. Money doesn’t come from government; it comes from the private sector. Perhaps we need to create avenues for people to interact at that level.”

The other model he suggests is for government to present some of the problems it encounters in delivering services, and invite ideas that can be developed into solutions.

“From a pool of suggested ideas, a panel of experts would then determine which one is the best. If we do that, Botswana’s young people will use their own minds  to determine how to resolve various  issues. It is not even too expensive. Just by creating and supporting a new system for ideas to flow  through, new business models will come up,” he points out.

Boshwaen broadens the discussion somewhat to encompass indigenous knowledge. He asks, “How can we get commercial value out of our unique products like medicinal plants and indigenous fruits?”

However, he states that there has to be scientific validation to determine nutritional value and safety of the various medicinal plants and fruits. BIH’s intervention would be on taking such products to commercialisation.

From where he sitting, Boshwaen is looking out for certain milestones that would tell if BIH is delivering on its mandate. In ascertaining if the milestones are being met, he will ask himself and his team a set of questions.

“Is there meaningful technology transfer that resolves issues that Batswana face? Is our economy creating new businesses that are aligned to innovation? Are we having more young people involved from point of view of self-employment?,” he rolls out the questions. “Our agenda is that in the next three years would like to have built the science and technology park. We would like to see certain critical facilities in the park that will support the whole agenda.”

When asked the description of people he employed to help him drive BIH mandate, he replies that he looked for  people who can get their hands dirty, and have a “can-do” attitude.

“They are people who are interested in achieving the outcome, and in the concept of  moving Botswana forward,” he says.

He calls it a small team of professionals from various fields, including different branches of science, as well as business, property and law. His approach was to build a core team that would then create linkages with other like-minded organisations to expand BIH’s capacity. Some of the partnerships that have been forged are with organisations such as Microsoft (leading to the establishment of Microsoft Innovation Center within the BIH to enhance professional delivery of ICT services and products, as well as create and improve skills of Botswana’s ICT professionals), the Council on Health Research for Development (COHRED), an independent international foundation headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland (to promote research and development for health, equity and development in Botswana and Africa in general), the Southern Africa Innovation Support (SAIS) Programme (which promotes collaboration within the innovation ecosystems of African countries in order to provide greater impact  on economic and social development), as well as Lund University and Krinova Science Park in Sweden (to establish a CleanTech Centre of Expertise programme within the BIH).
                     

Author: Mesh Moeti

Article adopted from The Sunday Standard


 

The 2013 International Conference on Business Innovation and Growth

 

Keynote Address: Alan Boshwaen

 

“Challenges and Opportunities for Business Development”

31 July 2013

 

Programme Director;
Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic Affairs, Professor Totolo;
Government Officials;
Chief Executive Officers;
Representatives of Higher Education Sector and Research Institutes;
Delegates and
Ladies and gentlemen.

 

I thank you for the opportunity and the privilege you have accorded me to address the 2013 International Conference on Business Innovation and Growth under the theme ‘Challenges and Opportunities for Business Development’.

This gathering provides a platform for academia, policy makers, and the business community to interact, identify opportunities and formulate responses to the real life challenges we face in the business environment.

I would also like to acknowledge the Faculty of Business and its leadership for arranging the conference and thereby creating this important platform for interaction with some of us at the coal face of running enterprises in Botswana. Indeed I also recognise the honour that you give to my organisation the Botswana Innovation Hub being a relatively new organisation. I believe you recognise the dynamism and the potential it holds.

My understanding is that during the conference you will hear from others including Dr Matome of the Local Enterprise Authority and Mr Pele Moleta of Botswana Post. You will also have an opportunity to deliberate on a number of academic papers covering disciplines such as Management, Finance and Accounting, Marketing, ICT, and Business Innovation among others. 

At the Botswana Innovation Hub we continuously strive to create a mutually beneficial link with our leading university, the University of Botswana. This model of creating a Triple Helix which embraces the government policy makers, academia represented by yourselves, and the business community is embedded in our philosophy as we proceed with the implementation of the Botswana Innovation Hub vision. Indeed we continue to host a number of monthly networking events called Innovation Cafes involving some of your members of interesting topics such as indigenous knowledge commercialisation, Intellectual Property and youth entrepreneurship.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the BIH was first conceived in 2008 to what must have been a subsequent baptism of fire being the severe economic recession that started in the developed World and eventually arrived in Botswana in late 2009. BIH was established under the National Excellence Strategy which proposed a three pronged approach being economic diversification, job creation and moving the country towards a knowledge-based economy.  

The baptism of fire that I referred to earlier, was the major constraint brought by the recession that limited the government’s ability to continue the roll out and funding at the levels originally envisaged in the initial project plans that had been formulated before the recession. 

In order to meet this critical challenge BIH was formulated into a company that could embrace a private sector driven approach and optimise all efficiencies. This has included creating opportunities to attract local and international private capital to supplement the government’s investments in the company.  This entailed the setting up of BIH as a company able to transact autonomously which process was completed in 2011 including the appointment of a Board of Directors made up of members of government, business and academia to ensure sustained oversight and robust governance.

Some of the major obstacles that had to be confronted urgently as I recall included a fundamental reassessment of the business prospects of the new company in the wake of the global recession. In addition the funding model to operationalize the hub and the strategies and tactics had to be substantially re-examined. In addition as luck would have it, the new organisation then had to contend with major litigation on procurement processes, which was only resolved fully early last year.

Ladies and Gentlemen, despite these fundamental challenges and uncertainties I’m pleased to say today that we have responded effectively to our challenges and we have now put in place a solid foundation and a demonstrable record of practical achievements.

We believe we are at the forefront of business innovation in Botswana and to this end our major strategic goals are as follows;

·      We are well into the process of developing Botswana’ first integrated Science and Technology Park at a strategic location near the Diamond Technology Park and SSKI Airport

 

·      We believe that this location will be a major business precinct and national asset to be used in attracting innovative companies and institutions to establish themselves, to develop, and to compete in the SADC and global markets.

 

·      The major levers we have put in place to attract them include high quality internal infrastructure such as street lighting, uninterrupted power, and superior ICT connectivity. The Park infrastructure was completed in 2012 and we are now into the development phase of this enterprise.

 

·      Furthermore following a cost rationalization exercise we chose to conduct on the project BIH will now also be in a position to breaking ground next month, September 2013 in building three centerpiece buildings which we commonly refer to as the ‘Iconic, buildings of the Park. These will provide auditorium, video and tele-conferencing facilities enabling superior and efficient modern communication between people located in the hub and other parts of the World for business and academic collaborations.

 

·      These buildings will house premises that are not only available to large international companies but also to relatively small startup ventures to encourage maximum interactions and collaborations.

 

·      In addition government has legislated a range of special incentives being;

 

o   A concessionary 15% for qualifying innovative companies from Botswana and outside to setup in the hub

 

o   The eligibility for the same companies to import specialized skills and personnel under a special dispensation meant to encourage technology transfer

 

·      One must highlight that BIH continues to work with government role players to make access to these incentives a more seamless and efficient process.

Ladies and gentlemen we realise that, innovation is the act of creating new, unique or exceptional value for the customers and the organisation.  We also note that innovation is not really a sector but an enabler to building business competitiveness at the firm level (micro) and economic competitiveness at the national level (macro). Therefore any innovation that is to deliver tangible value must meet the customer need in a new way and an innovative organisation must find and evolve a relevant business model and service offering to its customers and stakeholders.

In localising this philosophy we at the BIH, continue to consult widely and look at the most relevant and impactful areas to focus on and build partnerships around. We aim to build a continual conversation with our stakeholders.

In this regard, let me highlight the areas we focus on as an organisation to fulfil our mandate.

We act as a catalyst in the development of the ICT industry and support the development of innovative local content, skills and job creation. We are all aware that we have a significant number of ICT graduates from various institutions including UB. Let me illustrate our continuing work with some practical examples;

·       We have entered into an agreement with Microsoft Corporation this year to pioneer the delivery of a new technology that they have been researching and developing in the last five years called TV White space. This new technology once approved by the regulator will enable the delivery of broadband connectivity through unused television spectrum signals in areas of the country that currently lack electricity at a much lower cost than current providers. We believe that once the initial pilot sites are underway in Botswana this will serve as an example of relevant innovations and technology transfer that also promotes social and business inclusiveness and access to new customers who are currently not provided for – the so called “opportunities at the bottom of the pyramid.”

 

·       Furthermore another example of relevant innovation is that we are now working with government to automate and create a customized online store that will be accessible to public servants and government sponsored students that aims to promote innovative content, internet usage and electronic commerce.

In the area of mining technologies we aim to attract high value innovative activities and technology transfer that adds value to the key minerals being mined in Botswana such as diamonds and coal. To this end we are already working with some of the leading entities to establish in the BIH and create new ventures such as diamond jewellery manufacturer using precision engineering techniques or intending to transfer new technologies for power generation from existing coal resources.

In the Biotechnology area we seek to apply new technologies to develop commercial products through partnerships with research institutes and industry led ventures. We are working with the Ministry of Health and its international research partners to establish cutting edge laboratories as part of the BIH for research focused on a centre of excellence for HIV/AIDS and advanced TB and malaria research. These laboratories will from the onset seek accreditation from SADC and other bodies. We do believe these laboratories will enable cost efficiencies in that very specialised and expensive equipment will be available to the widest possible catchment of users and enable samples which are currently sent abroad for testing to be done locally. I commend this innovative to the members of UB with an interest to join the special reference group of experts constituted for this endeavour. Innovation is not all about technology transfer we have existing collaborations with leading academics in UB who are interested in working on commercialising Botswana’s indigenous knowledge such as medicinal herbs and edible wild fruits into new products that could be consumed locally or exported.       

As we live in a globalised world, some of the new business models have to respond to the most pressing global concerns, therefore we have an opportunity to take the lead in facilitating sustainable business solutions to waste, water, energy and traffic problems commonly referred to as green innovation or clean technologies. We strongly believe that on the back of these emerging problems new businesses and new funding streams will emerge that will also require academic research underpinnings relevant to Botswana, and business entrepreneurship.

Ladies and gentlemen to drive this exciting agenda requires a focused, strategic roadmap with strong project management and execution and clear priorities and we continue to leverage on international partners to enhance our capacity as an organisation and the necessary technical expertise to drive effective interventions. We have therefore not sought to create a resource intensive internal structure while we find our feet and the route to sustainability.

This is clearly an important issue in these times when resources continue to be severely constrained and our stakeholder being the government and the tax paying public emphasise getting “the biggest bang for the bucks spent.” It is however an opportunity clearly for innovation and experimentation. History teaches us that progress comes with experimentation and calculated risk taking and perhaps may I suggest going against the cultural norm, if one is truly convinced.  Experimentation with new business models will require us to embrace some level of calculated risk taking and court the possibility of failure.

 “I can accept failure. Everybody fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying. Fear is an illusion.” – Michael Jordan  

Ladies and gentlemen to conclude let me recap on our journey of innovation and the lessons so far learnt;

·       It is important to build the resilience against unanticipated external shocks such as what we experienced when the global economic recession

 

·       It is important to continually frame a relevant business model and service proposition through a continual dialogue with clients, customers and shareholders

 

·        We strongly recognize and acknowledge the central and overarching role that government plays through focused strategies such the hubs

 

·       The adoption of new technologies even if they are developed elsewhere can go a long way in strengthening our ability to innovate and create relevant solutions. We should not be afraid to go into the world and emulate from the best.

 

·       In a time of severely constrained finances a phased practical  approach to implementation coupled with experimentation and room for failure is advisable.  

Let me take this opportunity to thank you for having allowed me an audience. The Botswana Innovation Hub looks forward to collaborating with many of you in the important work of our country. 

I thank you.