Networking and Associations

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.

The Department of Science of Innovation (DSI), in collaboration with Water Research Commission (WRC), established the Water Technologies Demonstration Programme (WADER) to pull together applied research and development and pre- commercialisation stages of the water innovation continuum. Acting as an innovation intermediary, the Programme’s mission is to facilitate cluster-aligned, demand-driven, collaborative technology demonstrators from the public and private sectors to maximise the potential of the water innovation value chain. WADER promotes the early adoption of promising technologies and

Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda) is an agency of the Department of Small Business Development (DSBD). SEDA serves to promote entrepreneurship and develop small enterprises by providing customised non-financial business support services that result in business growth and sustainability in collaboration with other role players. 

Seda Offerings:

• Co-operations 
• Incubation 
• Enterprise Development 
• Technology Transfer