Networking and Associations

The Natural Science Collections Facility (NSCF) is a virtual facility, comprised of a network of institutions that hold natural science collections that are accessible to external researchers. Established as part of the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI)’s Research Infrastructure Roadmap and co-ordinated by South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI).

The Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management (SASSCAL) is a joint initiative of Angola, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Germany in response to the challenges of global change.

The National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF) is a broadly representative umbrella stakeholder body for organisations with an interest in science, engineering, technology (SET) and innovation.

The NSTF is the largest, most longstanding and most representative stakeholder body of its kind. It represents more than 100 organisations, councils and institutions. It spans both the private and public sectors.

The NSTF consists of a formidable gathering of expertise and experience. The individual representatives of member organisations include:

• Researchers and scientists (in various

Kuba powers South Africa’s fastest-growing and most accessible small businesses ecosystem :

• Small Businesses get access to markets, tools, networks and opportunities that help them professionalize & grow their business.
• Consumers get easy access to reliable, cost-effective services and solutions where they live.
• Kuba connects corporations that seek to improve and invest in local economic developments

• Jobs creations.
• Create opportunities for existing township entrepreneurs to expand, and for new entrepreneurs to emerge.
• Increase

The National Advisory Council on Innovation (NACI) has been created by legislation and the NACI Council is appointed by the Minister for Science and Innovation to advise him/her, and through the Minister, the Cabinet, on the role and contribution of science, mathematics, innovation, and technology, including indigenous technologies, in promoting and achieving national objectives, namely to:

• Improve and sustain the quality of life of all South Africans Develop human resources for science and technology
• Build the economy and strengthen the country’s competitiveness in the international

The purpose of the platform is to ensure that North West province becomes a knowledge-driven economy by introducing broad measures to improve performance in areas like ICT, R&D, education, entrepreneurial activity, innovation and knowledge flows- all of which are key determinants for innovative activity. The platform answers the provincial innovation and economic agenda as outlined in the Provincial Economic Strategy 2018 and PDP 2030. The platform objectives will be as follows:

• To enhance and promote innovation and technology transfer through structured support to create jobs while

The SA Innovation Summit as an annual flagship event on the South African Innovation Calendar, is a platform for nurturing, developing, and showcasing African innovation, as well as facilitating innovation thought-leadership. Created to support and promote innovation and facilitate collaboration within its own eco-system, the initiative brings together corporates, thought leaders, inventors, entrepreneurs, academia, and policymakers to amplify South Africa’s renowned competitive edge and inspire sustained economic growth across the continent of Africa. The outcomes achieved by the Summit: it is

Southern Africa Innovation Support Programme (SAIS) 2 is a regional initiative that supports the growth of new businesses through strengthening innovation ecosystems and the promotion of cross-border collaboration between innovation role-players in Southern Africa. The Programme focuses on strengthening early-stage enterprises and young entrepreneurs, connecting innovation ecosystems, and promoting innovations serving socially or economically disadvantaged populations. The overall objective of SAIS 2 is enhanced regional innovation cooperation and national innovation systems contributing to

SiMODiSA Association has been established as a powerful industry led initiative to specifically address – and determine – what can be done to overcome the barriers that SMEs and startups face. It is critical to address these barriers, such as access to capital, access to markets, access to talent and the lack of supportive enabling environments, in order to catalyse supportive ecosystems where such businesses can grow and thrive.

The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) is primarily a science council that funds and conducts health research. Established in 1969 with the aim to deliver on a mandate to promote the improvement of the health and the quality of life of the population of our country through research, development and technology transfer. SAMRC focuses on the ten highest causes of mortality in South Africa including TB, HIV, chronic diseases, alcohol and drug abuse.