01 Aug 2013

Botswana Innovation Hub (BIH) chief executive officer, Mr Alan Boshwaen says any innovation that delivers tangible value must meet the customer needs in a new way and evolve a relevant business model and service offered to its customers and stakeholders.

Officially opening the international conference of business innovation and growth in Gaborone on Wednesday, he said, BIH continued to consult widely and look at the most relevant and impactful areas to focus on. He said BIH also aimed to attract high value innovative activities and technology transfer that added value to the key minerals being mined in Botswana such as diamonds and coal.

Mr Boshwaen highlighted that in the biotechnology area, they sought 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,” he noted.

Mr Boshwaen highlighted that innovation was not about technology transfer as they had existing collaborations with leading academics who were interested in working on commercialising Botswana’s indigenous knowledge.

He said it was important to build resilience against anticipated external shocks such as what the world experienced during the global economic recession and to continually frame a relevant business model and service proposition through a continual dialogue with clients and shareholders.

He stated that the adoption of new technologies even if they were developed elsewhere could go a long way in strengthening the ability to innovate and create relevant solutions.

UB vice chancellor, academic affairs, Professor Otlogetswe Totolo said the negative effects of the global crisis highlighted that Botswana needed to diversify its economy adding that as such government could not do it alone.

He said being a competitive nation did not only mean writing research papers to attain PHD’s but being innovative to help the country in a meaningful way. “Everyone has to do something meaningful and practical so as to change lives of Batswana,” he noted. ENDS