The first phase of construction of the R300 million Gauteng Innovation Hub Science Park has begun, with a sod-turning ceremony at the construction site in Pretoria. The project is described as southern Africa`s first science and technology park.
Gauteng premier Mbhazima Shilowa said at the ceremony that the Innovation Hub aimed to create a space where hi-tech entrepreneurs, businesses, education, research and venture capital would work and meet to enhance the innovative capacity and economic development of the province.
The Innovation Hub will house the incubation programme for hi-tech start-ups, which was launched in 2001 and is being run from the CSIR buildings. It will also contain a coach-lab leadership programme where post-graduate students will work on industry projects mentored by industry experts.
Incubation successes
The incubation programme has already produced success stories such as start-up Expertron. The company invented a new information security solution product, concluding a 30% shareholding deal with Grintek, and has been granted a lucrative contract for the product by the ERP.com group.
Another start-up, Naledi3d Factory, successfully established an interactive virtual reality development facility in Uganda.
Citing examples of BMW`s manufacturing plant in Rosslyn and Ford`s new R1 billion export programme, Shilowa said Gauteng was the preferred location for smart industries. He said the province needed to produce a new cadre of knowledge workers and science and technology experts to play a role in further developing the sector.
Innovation Hub CEO Neville Comins says the hub will comprise two buildings built at a cost of over R30 million, including infrastructure like roads and a bridge over the highway. The innovation centre will house the incubator and the coach-lab programmes as well as shared facilities like a conference boardroom. The enterprise building will offer office space to various businesses in the ICT sector.
Incubating ICT
Incubation and entrepreneurship development manager Jill Sawers says the incubation programme is made up of three phases and currently houses 12 companies.
"We have two companies in the pre-incubation phase, which lasts for about six months and makes sure the start-ups have a good business plan in place and have tested the market with their product. Then there is the incubation phase, which lasts three to four years. Five more companies are currently in that phase and are being mentored on how to network with the market.
"Another five companies are in the final stage of the programme, the associate stage, which is like a year-long 'after-care` stage."
Sawers says the other half of the innovation centre, the coach-lab, is a partnership between Epiuse, the University of Pretoria and the hub.
"Epiuse recruits post-graduate students and exposes them to company-related projects, giving them market exposure. The students are supplied mainly from the University of Pretoria. Epiuse then has the option of employing some of the students," she says.
First tenant lined up
Paper manufacturing giant Sappi has also committed to building its technology and paper academy on the property and will be the first corporate user and anchor tenant.
Sappi technical director Bertus van der Merwe says its entire paper developing process will be researched at the new facility to be built at the Innovation Hub.
A paper academy will also be built to do Sappi`s technical training as well as co-ordinate with the various industry SETAs and manage distance learning within the company.
"Sappi will have 70 full-time staff on the property to leverage off the concentration of scientists, students and businesses which will make up the Innovation Hub," he says.
Comins says the Innovation Hub is negotiating with a number of other companies to set up similar operations on the 31-hectare property.
The Innovation Hub is one of 11 Blue IQ development projects and is a joint initiative between the Gauteng provincial government and SERA, an alliance between the University of Pretoria and the CSIR. The site is alongside the N1 freeway in Pretoria, between the CSIR and the University of Pretoria. The hub is expected to be opened next October.
Related story:
Innovation Hub moves into full swing
Share