Keywords: digital technologies

Main users: Resident companies or institutions

A programme that aids Eastern Cape entrepreneurs by leveraging sector-specific innovation opportunities. It enhances local manufacturing capabilities, supports over 520 entrepreneurs, and develops prototypes to attract investment, fostering skills in 4IR, IP, and other advanced technologies.

• To accelerate the innovation cycle,
• To provide a platform for ELIDZ-STP to participate in the 4th Industrial revolution through innovations that could be presented, i.e. Artificial Intelligence and others,
• Provide Eastern Cape access to new ideas, innovations, opportunities for innovation development and knowledge transfer from both inside and outside the province,
• Advance the development of new skill sets and competencies that will drive open innovation initiatives and established proprietary networks that will produce commercial benefits to the ELIDZ and its tenants,
• Provide technological intelligence and capacity to support strategic technology planning and investment decisions,
• Accelerate the adoption rate of innovation and increase the demand for innovation through the ability to demonstrate the relevance and impact of innovations,
• Provide a platform for engagement between industry, research and academics within the context of achieving the strategic and operational goals of the ELIDZ,
• Increase the investment attractiveness of the ELIDZ and makes it a reference point within the emerging innovation ecology,
• Increase both the competitive and comparative advantages of the ELIDZ through the utilisation of innovation as a unique value proposition,
• Advance the development of local manufacturing capability.

This is about supporting Innovators to develop products up to a minimum of Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6. TRL 6 means that:
• The developed prototype is functional such that they mirror the end product’s look and feel and simulates the final outputs behaviour.
• The prototype should be able to be demonstrated to potential investors coming into the ELIDZ STP to attract further funding and to proceed to the testing or industrial production of these phases.
• Once completed, there should be an extra prototype so it can be mounted and/or displayed as technology demonstrators at the STP, thus increasing the marketability of the STP within the Eastern Cape innovation space.
• The above will be one of the pre-conditions of contracting with the entrepreneurs, thus every entrepreneur will be made aware and will sign to agree the above upon contracting.
• Facilitate opportunities to externally market their innovations for further development of the prototypes towards their commercialisation.
Critical to this process is the ensuring that innovators understand Intellectual Property (IP), 3D printing, additive Manufacturing, CAD, and other tools in order to be able to protect the idea first, and to develop their solutions using various tools and platforms.

Through the programme the following has been the impact:
• Over 523 entrepreneurs supported
• Over 2000 people have been trained on various skills programmes focusing amongst others on 4IR activities, additive manufacturing, AutoCAD, cyber-security, electrical engineering, 3D printing, renewable energy, IP, etc.
• Over 20 prototypes have been supported with the intention of commercialising
• Supported over 300 entrepreneurs on Intellectual Property matters
• Produced manufacturing companies who have gone on to open factories in Industrial Zones

The users include entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem stakeholders, which include: park management, entrepreneurs, investors at the Industrial Development Zone, students, community members, incubators & accelerators, and Institutions of Higher Learning.

It is run by the East London IDZ Science and Technology Park, which plans and oversees the implementation and monitoring of initiatives within the Science Park. Innovators are called for participation through a public Expression of Interest (EOI) and selected through a selection panel composed of ecosystem role-players.