05 Oct 2017

Botswana Innovation Hub (BIH) is expected to host an inaugural innovation day, come October 26 at the Botswana Innovation Hub Science and Technology Park in Gaborone.

Briefing the media on Wednesday, BIH director of luster development, Dr Budzanani Tacheba said the event was aimed at celebrating  innovation and creating a platform for networking, dialogue and exhibition to bring together local and regional players in the science, technology and innovation space.

Known as Innovation Botswana 20017, the event will see innovators, technology entrepreneurs, government stakeholders, academia and the business community come together through exhibitions, networking and capacity building workshops as well as sharing ideas.

Dr Tacheba said that this would be carried out in an effort to sensitise stakeholders and the public on developments that had been taken by the BIH in line with its mandate of ensuring that Batswana are aware of the role of innovation in diversifying the economy.

The event will be attended by key stakeholders such as the Minister of Tertiary Education, Research Science and Technology, Dr Alfred Madigele, board of BIH chair, Mr Neo Moroka, together with various chief executive officers, vice chancellors and academia coming together to form a viable platform for the development of innovation in Botswana.

The Director of ICT and marketing, Mr Tshepo Tsheko said Innovation Botswana 2017 would be the first of what would  become an annual event titled Innovation Botswana.

He explained that they intended to mould it into a coveted platform that would become a think tank for Botswana’s best strides in innovation.

Mr Tsheko said the overall objective of the event was to empower participants with a clear view and appreciation of the local innovation space.

Through Innovation Botswana 2017, the public will be given insight into what innovators are developing in their own spaces while also raising awareness on what legislative policies government is enacting to support technology entrepreneurs.           

Some 250 stakeholders in various spheres are expected to attend. ENDS