SA Innovation Summit
The 2014 world design capital and arguably the world’s most beautiful city — Cape Town — will this year be honoured to host the South African (SA) Innovation Summit from 16 to 18 September 2014 at the Cape Town Stadium.
The SA Innovation Summit is a platform which aims to connect innovators/entrepreneurs with investors, public and private businesses, as well as opportunities for strategic partnerships and relationships. This year will be marking 7th year of the summit. The summit promises a line up of 36 speakers; a CEO panel debate on policies needed for an innovative business to thrive; 33 Spark Lab exhibition stands will be open daily; a pitching den where innovators across all industries can pitch their ideas, as well as an inventor’s garage exhibition and a youth day programme.
More excitingly, the summit promises to provide entrepreneurs /innovators a way to engage and collaborate on a number of issues/questions. These include for example, ‘How to take local entrepreneurs to global greatness through design thinking’.
Since the inception of the summit, demand for homegrown innovations/entrepreneurial projects has steadily grown every year. The Summit has also helped develop a number of local projects. One such is a partnership between the IDC and Tshete Holdings — an infrastructure engineering business based in Limpopo.
Tshete Holdings has since went on to win numerous awards, including the Entrepreneur of the Year Award, 2013, from the Polokwane Chamber of Commerce. Tshete Holdings entered into an essential gap within the road infrastructure market, offering a solution to potholes with permanent and immediate repairs.
Undoubtedly, the summit’s successes and achievements are very valuable evidence of the importance of these connections and partnerships. Innovators and entrepreneurs, if the prospects of this summit doesn’t excite you by now, then It’s a little too late for you. Your Group of WebAddict’s can’t wait. See you there from 16 to 18 September 2014