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Join the ecosystem

The path of a visionary can be hard, complex and lonely. We have to interact with a complex network of organisations and people, and have to make decisions on issues that are difficult and often confusing. Not knowing what to do, or when to do it, often means having to work longer hours, sometimes with people who don’t always understand our vision for a better tomorrow. But it doesn’t always have to be that way.

We invite you to become a part of our Innovation Bridge Platform, a community designed to show you the way forward in this living, moving and complex ecosystem. You will be introduced to innovations; enterprises; business support offerings and investment opportunities, each playing their part in creating a prosperous African continent.

Just as living things thrive under perfect conditions, we believe that your endeavor’s can flourish in the right ecosystem.

Innovator

Are you an innovator?

You don’t want to start your own enterprise, but have a passion for creating new knowledge, processes, products, or models. You’re probably a researcher that wants others to benefit from your unique intellectual property and, looking to license or further develop your innovation.

Entrepreneur

Are you an Entrepreneur?

You want to be your own boss and have the drive to recognize opportunities and transform them into valuable enterprises. Or you already have an established enterprise(s).

Investor

Are you an Investor?

You want to support the creation of socio-economic wealth by investing monetary and non-monetary resources into services, enterprises and products. If so, start here:

Click Here

Do you guide, enable, and support the ecosystem?

You or your enterprise provide valuable support to innovators and entrepreneurs along their journey. Whether your support comes in the form of legal, business or financial advice or a fully-fledged incubator or technology station, we invite you to showcase your unique support offering to the ecosystem.

Ecosystem Supporter

Do you support or enable?

Does your organization enable and support our platform’s ecosystem roleplayers? If so, start here:

Take your business to the next level, become remarkable with local innovation.

Our country is filled with remarkable people and remarkable ideas. At the Department of Science and Innovation, we help businesses turn ideas into action by enabling local health innovation to grow our health industry while meeting the needs of society.

Happenings

Keep up to date with the latest ecosystem events and opportunities.

Eurostars Call for International R&D Projects

Eurostars is an international funding instrument supporting innovative SMEs and their partners to collaborate on market-driven R&D and innovation projects. The programme is part of the European Partnership on Innovative SMEs and is co-funded by the European Union through Horizon Europe. The March

Proudly South African Buy Local Summit & Expo 2026

The 14th edition of the Proudly South African Buy Local Summit & Expo will take place on 16–17 March 2026 at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg. As Proudly South African’s flagship annual event, the Summit & Expo has evolved into the country’s premier local procurement and localisation

DRK Foundation – Early-Stage Social Impact Funding (Global, Year-Round)

The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation (DRK Foundation) provides early-stage capital and intensive capacity-building support to bold social enterprises tackling the world’s most pressing social and environmental challenges. DRK funds mission-driven organisations that serve vulnerable, marginalized

Our Partners

The Innovation Bridge Portal is an initiative of the South African National Departments of Science & Innovation (DSI), and Small Business Development (DSBD). The initiative is supported by the European Union (EU) and its content does not necessarily reflect the views of the EU.