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Hundreds of innovators and inventors gather in Cape Town

Hundreds of innovators and inventors gather in Cape Town

Photo by Reuters

16th September 2014

By: Kim Cloete

Creamer Media Correspondent

  

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Hundreds of innovators and entrepreneurs have gathered in Cape Town to discuss how to support more innovation in South Africa in a bid to drive the economy forward.

Venture capitalists, dealmakers, entrepreneurs and academics have been mingling at the South African Innovation Summit, many of whom want to turn their ideas from “garage to greatness”.

“With unemployment at around 25%, we have no option but to grow the economy, and innovation-led growth is the way to go,” said Accelerate Cape Town CEO Chris Whelan

A ‘Spark Lab’ has attracted dozens of inventors and innovators, who are trying their luck and experience at the ‘Pitching Den’, which is watched over closely by three judges.

“Talent is without a doubt a city’s most successful asset. Cities are in a race for talent. We need to create a pool of talented people and entrepreneurs,” Whelan told the opening of the summit.

He said together with Lagos, Cape Town was rated as a top African city for innovation. ‘’In many ways, Cape Town has the opportunity to be what Singapore has been to Asia – moving from a high-volume, low-value economy to a high-volume, high-value economy,” said Whelan.

Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille said there was a tremendous spirit of innovation and creativity in the Mother City, partly owing to the hosting of the World Design Capital this year.

“We want to continue with the innovation that the World Design Capital has stimulated this year.”

De Lille said the City of Cape Town was also promoting innovation and transparency by opening its data sets to the public.

Within the next few weeks, it will have implemented its open data policy. Anyone will be able to access the city’s online portal.

“From traffic information to service delivery charts, we want to make all the information open to the public,” she stated.

“We have huge quantities of data that could be useful.”

De Lille said the city had a duty to adhere to the Constitution and protect private and sensitive information where necessary.

Nigeria and Kenya also have open data initiatives.

De Lille noted that the city had leased over 300 km of fibre to independent service providers to stimulate competition. The municipality has linked all of its city buildings and offices, saving R37-million a year in phone calls.

She added that 23 companies had taken up the city’s offer of renting out its spare capacity.

“We are creating the right conditions to become the digital city of Africa.”

Whelan called for controversial immigration regulations to be lifted, as these were hampering business and innovation.

Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba earlier on Tuesday announced that he will postpone implementing the newly proposed requirement for children to present unabridged birth certificates upon entry and exit from South Africa.

However, calls remain to lift other immigration regulations and to slice red tape hampering people from working in and visiting South Africa.

Edited by Chanel de Bruyn
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor Online

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