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Geosciences Technology Transfer Lab encourages start-up entrepreneurship and value chain acceleration in the South

Geosciences Technology Transfer Lab encourages start-up entrepreneurship and value chain acceleration in the South

The University of Namibia launched the //Kharas Innovation Hub (KIH) International Symposium last week which focused on Geosciences Technology Transfer Lab, Start-Up Entrepreneurship and Value Chain Acceleration in the South. The Hub was launched under the theme, “Strategies for a successful Systems of Innovation”

Based at the University of Namibia Southern Campus, the Hub will commensurate national competencies and accelerate enterprise development around key signature value chains in the //Kharas Region such as in agribusiness, logistics and mining supply chain as well as hospitality and tourism.

As keynote speaker Martin Inkumbi, Chief Executive Officer of the Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) said Namibia cannot immediately expect new technology, outside of possible breakthroughs from indigenous knowledge. “This means we need to appropriate technology and deploy it in innovative ways and seek to finance products and services that are new to Namibia,” he added.

While Dr Erold Naomab, Southern Campus Assistant Pro-Vice Chancellor said international experts shared best practices on entrepreneurial start-ups, hybrid materials and science labs and that tailored workshops will transfer skills to local entrepreneurs and scientists alike

Meanwhile these programmes are positioned to stimulate and advance entrepreneurial culture through strengthening the regional innovation systems that will see commercialisation, technology transfer and enterprise development as key outcomes and will drive innovation by creating an enabling environment through research and development.

The Symposium formed part of a cooperation agreement between UNAM and Leibniz Insitute of New Materials (INM) in Germany supported by BMZ-GIZ.


 

About The Author

Mandisa Rasmeni

Mandisa Rasmeni has worked as reporter at the Economist for the past five years, first on the entertainment beat but now focussing more on community, social and health reporting. She is a born writer and she believes education is the greatest equalizer. She received her degree in Journalism at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) in June 2021. . She is the epitome of perseverance, having started as the newspaper's receptionist in 2013.