Innovation: The missing link to a knowledge-based economy
Pauline Dikuelo | Friday June 24, 2016 16:39
BusinessWeek: Take us through the Innovation Hub’s journey
Mokobi: Botswana Innovation Hub (BIH) is an organisation that promotes technology, entrepreneurship and commercialisation on a purpose-built Science and Technology Park. Between the year 2008 and 2011, the company’s board was appointed and Microsoft Innovation Centre was launched.
The hub became fully operational in 2012 with key innovation support programmes launched. In the same period, a physical development of the science and technology park began.
BusinessWeek: What has the innovation hub achieved since its inception?
Mokobi: In parallel with the physical infrastructure development, Botswana Innovation Hub has commenced its core business of innovation support through innovation support programmes. A technology entrepreneurship development programme named, First Steps Venture Centre (FSVC), was launched in 2013 and has attracted and enrolled over 20 technology start-up companies and partnered with the private sector to provide them with business mentorship and market access opportunities.
The following year in 2014 an ICT developer community programme named, Cyber City Kgotla was launched as the Botswana Innovation Hub’s response to a World Bank study that revealed that there was need to develop a conducive environment for ICT developers to work on their ideas to turn them into viable products and services before they can be enrolled into a programme such as FSVC for business development support.
Cyber City Kgotla offers developers technical and entrepreneurial training opportunities and provides them access to developer toolkits through Botswana Innovation Hub partnerships.
The programme has activated a developer network of over 200 and has supported some of the developers to turn their ideas into viable projects that have provided innovative solutions to industry.
Then Clean-Tech Centre has been established to support new business development in clean environmentally-friendly technologies. The centre is working with partners on various projects including setting up a Solar Test Bed and demonstration facility, and a rapid deployment sustainable housing unit based on alternative housing technologies. Other Clean-Tech projects include water purification and harvesting technologies and capacity building initiatives.
The National Technology Transfer Office (TTO) was established in partnership with the University of Botswana to address the gap of Intellectual Property (IP) advisory support. The TTO is responsible for the identification and commercialisation of intellectual property arising from research, innovations, indigenous knowledge and technology development. TTO has partnered with NFRTC on commercialisation of indigenous food products.
Microsoft Innovation Centre in partnership with Microsoft Corporation, University of Pennsylvania, BoFiNet, Global Broadband Solutions, Vista Life Sciences, USAID-NetHope and Ministry of Health has implemented the TV White Space (TVWS) project to pilot affordable last mile connectivity and mhealth. The technology will help deliver telemedicine health programmes through low cost and long-range broadband over TVWS. The Southern Africa Support (SAIS) programme supports a regional innovation system in Southern Africa Development Community (SADC). SAIS builds capacity and stimulates operational elements of the National Systems of Innovation (NSI) within and across the four pilot countries, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Mozambique. The programme aims to positively contribute to the drive for sustainable economic growth, aid in poverty reduction and support the countries in the development of a knowledge-based society. The programme has trained more than 600 Batswana as part of capacity-building on the National System of Innovation.
Mining Technology Entrepreneurship Centre (MTEC) has been established in partnership with BCL Mine to support supplier development for innovative solution through demand-driven procurement. Botswana Innovation Hub has extended its FSVC programme to Selebi-Phikwe in this regard.
Currently four companies have been enrolled and have been able to secure contracts with BCL.
BusinessWeek: What are the challenges that were encountered and what plans have been put forward to address the issues?
Mokobi: Central to Botswana Innovation Hub mandate is to support the development of a vibrant national innovation ecosystem. The challenges being experienced emanate from the insufficient linkages between the private and public sectors in advancing the innovation agenda. A vibrant National System of Innovation is premised on strong linkages between government, industry and academia. Botswana’s national innovation ecosystem is still in its infancy and requires strengthening through creation of synergies between these institutions.
Another challenge arises from insufficient seed and early stage funding for technology entrepreneurship development. Botswana Innovation Hub is working with government to establish an Innovation Fund that will close this gap.
Once fully operational, the fund will provide access to seed finance for qualifying local technology oriented businesses to assist in their technology commercialisation and innovation support.
BusinessWeek: How far with the development of the technology park and who are funding the project?
Mokobi: Development of the Botswana Innovation Hub Science and Technology Park is ongoing and construction of the central Icon Building is underway including private sector-led development lease agreements and local and international partnerships to build other technical facilities that support innovation activities.
Botswana Innovation Hub Science and Technology Park developments are funded by a mix of public and private funding. The Government of Botswana is funding the Government Integrated Data Centre and Icon Building while tenants are funding other buildings such as the Microsoft Innovation Centre, Call Centres, Satellite port developments, medical and rehabilitation centre, hotel and other ancillary support services and recreational facilities on long-term leases, co-developments and partnerships.
BusinessWeek: I understand some tenants pulled out of the technology park as they felt it was taking forever, how many tenants does the park have and how many have pulled out?
Mokobi: Only the Ministry of Health and the FSS have pulled out of the Apex laboratory spaces due to reasons not related to the construction period of the park.
The Science and Technology Park developments can be divided into two key categories, icon-building tenants and developments in the rest of the park. To date there have been over 30 confirmed commitments to take up tenancy in the Icon Buildings and the Science and Technology Park.
The Botswana Innovation Hub tenancy is based mainly on innovative technology companies and a few business support services. The tenancy model is not purely a tenant/landlord relationship, but rather a partnership and networking relationship in a globally connected innovation ecosystem, and world-class client services.