A smart address for smart people
Local high-tech companies and potential world-class small companies wishing to benefit from relocation to the smartest address south of the Sahara, will form the backbone of The Innovation Hub's tenant sourcing strategy for the start-up phase of this exciting new Science Park in Gauteng.
"Our focus at this initial entry stage of our marketing efforts is on small, medium and large local knowledge worker companies interested in relocating or expanding to more suitable facilities", says Mr Thibi Matshele, Business Development and Marketing Manager for The Innovation Hub. This includes local multi-nationals doing development work in South Africa, while foreign multi-nationals will be targeted as anchor tenants in the medium to long term. Sectors that are being targeted include biotechnology, life sciences, telecommunications, IT and electronics.
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| A Science Park is an organisation managed by specialised professionals, whose main aim is to increase the wealth of its community by promoting the culture of innovation and the competitiveness of its associated businesses and knowledge-based institutions. To enable these goals to be met, a Science Park stimulates and manages the flow of knowledge and technology amongst universities, R&D institutions, companies and markets; it facilitates the creation and growth of innovation-based companies through incubation and spin-off processes; and provides other value-added services together with high quality space and facilities. - International Association of Science Parks (IASP) definition |
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Matshele points out that there is considerable evidence internationally that Science Parks have successfully stimulated the development and growth of high-technology businesses. This includes the successful commercialisation of high-tech products and services resulting from related research and development activities. The Innovation Hub, which is expected to open its doors for business in mid 2004, will be the first Science Park in southern Africa to be developed according to international best practice while taking cognisance of local business needs.
"The challenge for the Hub, in differentiating itself from being just another property development, is to successfully apply international experience to local conditions. South Africa's unique background and its socio-economic, education and training needs bears special consideration", he says. In this the role of South African parastatals and other government initiatives on science, engineering and technology, such as on Biotechnology, are integral to the creation of high-tech clusters at The Innovation Hub.
The Innovation Hub Management Company is also investing in certain anchor projects to increase the value of its offering to prospective tenants. These include a teleport for the supply of demand-driven high value bandwidth at attractive and cost-effective rates. The 155 Mega bytes link planned for the University of Pretoria, which in turn has links to the bio-informatics centre at the University of the Western Cape (where SA's only super computer focused on biotechnology is housed) is regarded as another key attraction for R&D firms to set up in the park. This holds momentum opportunities for the information and communication technologies industries.
A technology exchange to showcase South Africa's intellectual property, The Switch, is another example of the Hub's investment in anchor projects. It will create a permanent platform to showcase and sell South African technology and innovative capacity, thereby helping to position the country as a serious player in the global knowledge economy.
Matshele added that location of The Innovation Hub between University of Pretoria and the CSIR, respectively one of the largest research universities in the country and the top technology transfer institution in Africa, is unique on the continent. This location, on a "knowledge axis" between these two organisations, offers prospective tenants direct access to a significant resource of
scientific and technological research and development capacity, thereby complying to an important international criteria for a successful Science Park.
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| Mr Thibi Matshele, Business Development and Marketing Manager for The Innovation Hub. |
Contact
Thibi Matshele, Business Development and Marketing Manager
Tel +27 12 349 0321
Fax +27 12 349 0322
mmatshele@theinnovationhub.com
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