Tshwane, 26 March 2018 – The Innovation Hub, the innovation agency of the Gauteng Province will officially launch BioPark@Gauteng phase two and AgriPark on 29 March 2018, at The Innovation Hub.  The establishment of both infrastructures aligns with the Bio Economy Strategy to support job creation and skills development, whereby BioPark@Gauteng phase two leads to the commercialisation of demand led bio-innovation, and, AgriPark manages agroprocessing and the output of nutritive food sources.

The conceptualisation and construction of the infrastructures is a collaborative effort between The Innovation Hub; eGoliBio Life Sciences; the Gauteng Department of Economic Development (GDED), the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural and the Department (GDARD) and the Department of Trade and Industry’s incubation support Programme. 

The Premier of Gauteng Province, Honourable David Makhura once said, “….in order to grow the Gauteng City Region economy, create jobs and improve the life of Gauteng Province, there is a need to develop new, modern, innovative-driven industries in the areas of high tech, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology sectors.” To heed this call, The Innovation Hub, first launched BioPark@Gauteng phase one in 2014 with the purpose of lowering barriers encountered by entrepreneurs, by offering pre-commercial infrastructure and Business Development support to entrepreneurs in the pharmaceuticals and agro-processing sectors.  Since the launch of BioPark@Gauteng phase one, there has been a growing demand for business and technical support, and manufacturing services.  The demand has necessitated in an increase of space thus leading into the expansion of BioPark@Gauteng. 

The BioPark@Gauteng Phase two facility comprises 1500 M².  The facility will enable existing incubated entrepreneurs to expand their businesses, and provides space for commercial companies to utlise.  AgriPark will fast track South Africa’s natural resource capacity, as well as the countries objective to increase food security.  The BioPark@Gauteng Phase two has an additional 316.m2 of anchor tenant manufacturing space that has been occupied by a graduate of the 2014 Cohort of entrepreneurs that were incubated in Phase one, Portia M, a National Gazelles cosmetics company that manufactures a range of cosmetics from Marula essential oils. The AgriPark comprises a 5000 M² high tech green house and 200 M² pack house which will be operated by a developmental partner, GauFlora. The Innovation Hub and GauFlora partnership at AgriPark intends to upsurge employment opportunities and skills development of local men and women by empowering them with agro processing skills. AgriPark’s outputs will be sold via local and global partnerships, and in so doing address the dwindling supply of nutritive indigenous food and everyday food products.  The vision for AgriPark at The Innovation Hub is to be the navel centre for high value innovative food products and processing technologies. This will further anchor the agro-processing / food security cluster for the Bio-economy sector in Gauteng.