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The Innovation Hub Management Company team - Back row (ltr): Paul Bisogno, Lindsay Prescott, Tsietsi Maleho, Aveen Rampershad, Dr Neville Comins (CEO), Dr Jill Sawers, Martin Manmohan, Denise Goosen, Jeanette Morwane; Front row (ltr): Lettie Manaiwa, Mariette Smit, Gopolang Setumo, Annie Lopes, Anita Masuku and Petro Dednam, (insert) Nkhulu Maboya
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Another year is fast drawing to a close and - for some - work pressures lighten and more time with friends and family beckons. As we prepare to step into 2008, we seize the opportunity to review our progress and achievements during the year.
A key feature of this country's economic vibrancy is the increasing importance of strong clusters and a focus on building new and relevant growth sectors. As Gauteng's first high-tech cluster, The Innovation Hub has created a vibrant, interactive environment that is harnessing the exploitation of innovation and promoting the competence to create sustainable jobs and build new sectors in the knowledge economy.
Our progress and achievements during 2007 certainly attest to this and reflect the scope and range of our initiatives. These include:
- Incubation success, with ten companies graduated since 2006 and a start-up company growth rate of 720% cumulative since 2000
- Increasing the sponsors for the CoachLab™ ICT skills development programme from five to eight and graduating 66 participants since 2001
- Continued growth in the INNOV8 community, currently with over 7 000 members.
- Full occupancy of The Innovation Hub's multi-tenant building - Enterprise Building - with an increasing waiting list of prospective residents
- Creating a footprint in Africa by assisting a number of emerging science park initiatives in other provinces and countries
- Contributing to the advancement of the National and Regional Systems of Innovation in close co-operation with the Department of Science and Technology, COFISA and City of Tshwane.
Similarly, our residents have won awards, such as the Eskom 2006 Prepayment Innovation and SPII Awards for prepayment metering by the Expertron Group, and developed innovative products and services, including a 'first in SA' cashless public transport and rewards system from Commuter Solutions; a unique interactive 3D simulation and virtual reality agricultural and life skills training product by the Naledi 3D Factory; a ground-breaking digital asset auditing system to enhance service delivery, and fiscal and performance management of infrastructure projects from Jabula Projects and QSens Information Systems; an innovative Pre-Dispense™ reminder service to increase compliance and persistence amongst chronic medication patients by Health Window™; and specialised carbon fibre 'best-of-breed technology and innovation' braces designed by Icexpress for a paraplegic athlete to compete in the Beijing Paralympics in 2008.
We share pride in these achievements with our resident companies and look forward to the year ahead, not only to growth as the Province's foremost high-tech cluster, but also to hosting the 25th World Conference of the International Association of Science Parks (IASP) for the first time in Africa, and increasing our role as a meaningful contributor to the growth of the nation's economy.
We thank you for your continued interest in this exciting initiative and wish you a festive year-end and a joyful time with family and loved ones.
Season's greetings!
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