Hub tenants introduced to SPII funding

Representatives from the Support Programme for Industrial Innovation (SPII) recently paid a visit to the maxum Business Incubator at the Hub to introduce SPII to Hub tenants and identify projects for funding.

Taking a break during the SPII visit to The Innovation Hub are ltr Martin Manmohan, Operations Manager at maxum, Dr Ntokozo Mthembu, SPII Fund Manager, Jill Sawers, maxum Business Incubator Manager, and Dr Areef Suleman, Senior Fund Manager at SPII.

SPII promotes local technology through providing financial assistance for the development of innovative products and/or processes. Their focus is on technology development and prototyping. SPII does not fund basic research or technology commercialisation.

SPII Fund Managers, Dr Areef Suleman and Dr Ntokozo Mthembu, described the objectives of the Fund and the application process. After an interactive discussion session about the benefits of the Programme, they had individual meetings with some of the Hub tenants interested in SPII funding to discuss their proposed applications.

Out of the technologies presented to the SPII Fund Managers by 13 of the Hub tenants presented at the meeting, five projects have been identified for which applications for funding will be submitted.

TMI Consulting, one of the Hub tenants at the meeting, had secured SPII funding in 2005 for the development of a portable simulator motion platform. Their first project milestone was successfully completed in November 2005. Company CEO, Thivash Moodley, recommended to prospective SPII applicants to freeze project plans prior to submitting their applications, as the approval process could significantly impact on project schedules.

Jill Sawers, Manager of the maxum Business Incubator at the Hub, thanked the team from SPII for their support and dedication.

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