Hub clusters knowledge workers in an innovative environment

Innovation, collaboration, entrepreneurship and the growth of knowledge-based businesses have become integral to the exciting environment at The Innovation Hub, Africa's first internationally accredited Science Park.

Aptly equated to 'where smart is', the Hub's community of 'smart people' integrates the core elements of growing a 'knowledge-based economy' with the fundamentals of a 'smart city' - this is directly aligned to one of the key success factors of a Science Park as identified by the International Association of Science Parks (IASP), namely to bring together a group of 'knowledge-based businesses' in an innovative and collaborative environment. The Innovation Hub is a full member of the IASP, and the only one in Africa.

The Hub's formal and operational links to academic and research institutions, government agencies and departments, and local and international business enterprises are helping to promote growth within the knowledge-economy in Gauteng.

Through its 'business clustering' - a phenomenon seen in many Science Parks worldwide - The Innovation Hub has attracted more than 65 resident companies within its five core focus areas: ICT, biotechnology, engineering, smart manufacturing and electronics. Some large multi-national corporations are represented at the precinct, such as Sappi.

The phenomenal uptake of tenants and related stimulation of the Hub's innovative environment, has attracted local business interest and grown its own collaborative high-tech business networking initiative, INNOV8, to over 5 000 members. Flowing from this membership-based community are Knowledge and Product Partner support programmes that offer services, products, collaborative ventures and knowledge transfer to tenants, incubatees and members alike.

In addition, the Hub is home to a Knowledge Centre, in partnership with the University of Pretoria. The Centre, with an in-house librarian, is located at the heart of the Innovation Centre and provides residents, visitors to the Hub's Convention Centre and members of the INNOV8 community with academic research facilities.

The Maxum Business Incubator, an incubation programme at the Hub, which again is an activity undertaken by most Science Parks internationally, provides tenancy, support and mentoring for new, early-stage businesses, helping them to become self-sustainable and to cross the 'commercialisation chasm' during their formative period.

The Hub's CoachLab™ leadership programme provides selected post-graduate students with the opportunity to work on real-time industry projects, preparing them to enter the business world equipped with business acumen as well as academic knowledge. Partners in this initiative include various academic institutions and industry representatives.

In 2005, The Innovation Hub was selected to host, for the first time in Africa, the 2008 IASP World Conference. The Innovation Hub is excited about making its contribution to the growth of the 'knowledge economy' in Gauteng and entrenching it presence as the place 'where smart is'.

For more information on The Innovation Hub, visit its website at www.theinnovationhub.com.

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