PROFILE :

The Innovation Hub, in giving effect to its mandate of creating a high-tech cluster in Gauteng and growing its knowledge economy, has identified, in collaboration with COFISA (Cooperation Framework on Innovation Systems between Finland and South Africa) , ACTIVATOR™ (formerly Centres of Expertise Programme) as a tool for creating a regional system of innovation in Gauteng. The key objective of the ACTIVATOR™ is to develop the context, policies, methodologies and know-how to stimulate collaborative projects that ultimately result in creating sustainable opportunities for high-tech SME development and job opportunities in South Africa.

 The CoE Programme is a Finnish model of utilising top level knowledge and expertise as a resource for business operations, job creation and regional development, with the aim of identifying the region's strengths and creating economic growth. The Finnish CoE programme was developed in the 1980’s in Finland to promote regional development and had a profound impact on the development of the Finnish Innovation System. Finland is now regularly ranking amongst the top global economies in respect of innovation, competitiveness and efficiency.

The Innovation Hub received first-hand exposure to the implementation of the CoE in Finland, facilitated with the help of the Finnish Embassy in Pretoria, following the Hub’s continued interest in the Finnish Innovation System (FIS), specifically the CoE programme. Following the feasibility study by Finland's Turku Science Park in November 2007 on the development of ACTIVATOR™ (formerly CoE Programme) in Gauteng, The Innovation Hub announced the establishment of the programme as a pilot in January 2008. The announcement included a Call for Proposals from prospective consortia to promote collaboration between industry, research, academic institutions and government in projects from the Aerospace, Information Communications Technology (ICT), and Biotechnology sectors.

VISION

• To utilize top level knowledge and expertise as a resource for business operations, job creation and economic development of the province
• To develop a platform that is regarded to be best-practice for South African high-tech SME development and collaboration
• To encourage collaboration through a partnership model between academia, research organisations, government departments and industry through conducting commercially significant research projects in the fields of aerospace, biotechnology and ICT.

 ACTIVATOR BENEFITS

To Government:
                 

• Contribution to the development of a competitive South African National System of Innovation (SANSI)
• Long-term strategy for the full utilisation of top-level expertise in provinces
• Well developed and competitive regional clusters
• Growth of knowledge-intensive clusters
• Well developed “Public-Private Partnership” model of cooperation between academia, industry, research organisations and government that leads to development of research and knowledge-intensive businesses

To Industry:

• Increased collaboration with academia, government and research organisations through working on joint research projects.
• Access to latest knowledge and expertise through the programme’s skills database.

To Academia:

• Development of scarce and high level of skills, relevant to the requirements and needs of industry.
• Increased collaboration with industry, government and research organisations through working on joint research projects.

To Research Organisations:

• Increased collaboration with academia, government and industry through working on joint research projects.
• Access to resources and skills to enable world-class research.

 BACK OFFICE SUPPORT SERVICES

The Activator Back-Office offers the following support services:

• Identify projects that provide opportunities for collaborative innovation outcomes
• Assist project consortia with defining project plans which include; project objectives, business case for commercialization, schedule, milestones, funding model and measurement criteria
• Assist projects with identifying suitable model to deal with ownership, shareholder equity, IP rights.
• Define model to develop value-add opportunities for SME and job creation through projects
• Continuously source industry-led innovation projects to build portfolio of good projects
• Provide brand visibility for project consortia
• Assistance with accessing funding for the projects
• Stakeholder management – partner matchmaking
• Project management

 ACTIVATOR™ ENDORSED PROJECTS

Meraka Institute’s “Broadband For All” Project
The “Broadband For All” project aims to remove or minimize technology barriers and to enable bottom-up creation of wireless access infrastructure and provide cheaper broadband in remote or rural communities. The consortium has Meraka Institute as a project leader and also includes Sentech, Parsec & Redline SA and Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa (USAASA).

Fourier Approach’s “Centre of Excellence in Complexity” Project
The Fourier Approach consortium developed a Fourier Approach’s “Centre of Excellence in Complexity” Model and related methodologies that assist with the design, development, implementation and measurement of operational processes within a complex environment whilst striving towards realising the organisational strategies in a resilient operation. The consortium consists of three organisations namely; Fourier (Industrial Engineering Consultancy), the University of South Africa (UNISA) and the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the University of Pretoria (UP). The developed model will be validated as part of the academic objectives of UNISA

CONTACT DETAILS

Jeanette Morwane
Manager - ActivatorTM
Tel:      (012) 844 0028
Fax:     (012) 844 0128
E-mail: jmorwane@theinnovationhub.com

Stephan Lamprecht
Knowledge Development Manager - ActivatorTM
Tel:      083 456 6896
Fax:     (012) 844 0128
E-mail: stephan@venturesolutions.co.za

Johan Swart
Projects Coordinator
Tel:      +27 12 844 0079
E-mail: jswart@theinnovationhub.com

Web Address: www.activator.co.za

 Address:

Postal: PO Box 1, Mark Shuttleworth Street, The Innovation Hub 0087
Physiscal: Office M56, Innovation Centre, Mark Shuttleworth Street, The Innovation Hub 0087

PRESS RELEASE :

The Innovation Hub reveals a new brand identity of pioneering programme aimed to promote industry-driven innovations

Earlier this year, The Innovation Hub, in partnership with COFISA (Co-operation Framework on Innovation Systems between Finland & South Africa), announced the establishment of a Centres of Expertise Pilot Programme to create a regional systems of innovation in the Gauteng region. Today, this programme revealed a new brand identity namely ACTIVATOR™ “Innovation through collaboration”, at a ceremony held at The Innovation Hub.

Various public sector programmes in South Africa use the term ‘Centre’ in their names and mandates.  For example, there are ‘Centres of Excellence’ implemented by the Department of Science and Technology and Department of Trade and Industry. The primary objective of such Centres of Excellence is to create specific research in key technology areas such as telecommunications, laser technology and areas of biotechnology (e.g. malaria, HIV/Aids, TB, etc). The Department of Science and Technology is further developing a ‘Centre of Competence’ model as a fundamental platform from which to develop specific industry-academic collaborations. The intention behind the Centres of Competence is to link research focused areas with specific industry capacity and involvement.

However, such naming conventions have created confusion in both the public view as well as in the minds of the funding agencies that are sensitive towards duplicating funding. Therefore, the Innovation Hub CoE Pilot Programme decided to develop a nonaligned and unique brand to replace ‘Centre of Expertise’ brand currently utilised for the pilot programme.

“For us, having a new brand is a way of defining our own South African Centres of Expertise concept and giving it a unique identity. The programme was adapted from the successful Finnish experience and part of the pilot phase included developing our South African concept which fits to our environment. It is also a way of celebrating some of the successes we have achieved so far, which includes having consortia projects with the involvement of universities, research organisations, large companies and SME’s working together to achieve the same goal,” says Jeanette Morwane, Manager of ACTIVATOR™.
This programme was established as a result of a feasibility study, conducted by Finland's Turku Science Park in November 2007, which identified the need to develop a CoE Programme in Gauteng. The initial announcement of the programme included a Call for Proposals to prospective consortia, promoting the spirit of collaborations between industry, research, academic institutions and government in projects from the Aerospace, Information Communications Technology (ICT) and Biotechnology sectors. Various proposals were received and six ICT consortia projects were selected, and are currently operating on the ACTIVATOR™ platform. Two of these projects are fully endorsed while others are still under-going a process that will allow full endorsement status in the near future.

The endorsed projects are:

Meraka Institute’s “Broadband For All” Project
This project aims to remove or minimise technology barriers, enable bottom-up creation of wireless access infrastructure and provide cheaper broadband in remote and rural communities. Research has been focused in the areas of mesh networking, low cost voice/messaging devices, low cost access points and antennas, and network security. Mesh networking research is interesting in that a community can grow a wireless network in an ad-hoc manner without the need for large capital investment in radio masts. Meraka Institute is the project leader and the consortium also includes Sentech, Parsec & Redline SA and Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa (USAASA).

Fourier Approach’s “Centre of Excellence in Complexity” Model
The Fourier Approach consortium developed a Fourier Approach’s “Centre of Excellence in Complexity” Model and related methodologies that assist with the design, development, implementation and measurement of operational processes within a complex environment whilst striving towards realising the organisational strategies in a resilient operation. The consortium consists of three organisations namely; Fourier (Industrial Engineering Consultancy), the University of South Africa (UNISA) and the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the University of Pretoria (UP). The developed model will be validated as part of the academic objectives of UNISA.

The Innovation Hub ACTIVATOR™ is based on a Finnish model of utilising top level knowledge and expertise as a resource for business operations, job creation and regional development. It is not a funding programme, but rather a funded platform to co-ordinate collaboration, stimulate industry-focused innovation and leverage available public and private sector funding while creating opportunities for developing SMEs and high-tech jobs.

For more information on ACTIVATOR™, you may contact:
Jeanette Morwane
Manager - ACTIVATOR™
Tel: (012) 844 0028
E-mail: jmorwane@theinnovationhub.com