The Innovation Hub’s Climate Innovation Centre has embarked on a series of Inclusivity Workshops to raise awareness of the green economy and the impact of climate change at the level of communities who are marginalised. 

The Innovation Hub, Africa’s first accredited science and technology park and a member of the International Association of Science Parks is a subsidiary of the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency, which is an agency of the Gauteng Department of Economic Development.

The Climate Innovation Centre is a public-private partnership between The Innovation Hub and the World Bank’s InfoDev Climate Technology Programme. It is viewed as one of the pillars for Gauteng to achieve the province’s objectives of job creation, industrial development, technological innovation, social inclusion, and economic empowerment, in line with the Gauteng Green Economic Strategy.

The Innovation Hub’s CEO, Mr. McLean Sibanda, said “Climate change is one of the greatest threats to sustainable development. It is important that communities are made aware of the impacts of climate change as we continue to work towards a greener future, seek opportunities to climate-proof our people; grow our economy and protect our natural resources. The inclusivity workshops offered by the Climate Innovation Centre will also enable The Innovation Hub to identify entrepreneurs with innovative technologies or solutions that will address climate adaptation and climate mitigation”.

CIC offers a wide range of environmental, economic and social benefits. It supports innovative clean technology enterprises which build the domestic industry, increase climate resilience, reduce carbon emissions, connect to international markets and create jobs. The CIC also provides a suite of services to help entrepreneurs pro-actively and profitably develop, transfer and deploy advanced climate technologies that meet local needs.
The aims of the inclusive growth workshops are to:
1. Promote awareness of climate technologies that serve the bottom of the economic pyramid and other marginalised groups.
2. Promote awareness of the CIC and how it will support small and medium enterprises to generate inclusive green growth.
3. Facilitate interaction and exchange among current and existing players in the climate innovation ecosystem.
4. Gather information on stakeholder needs to further refine CIC activities towards inclusive growth and serving the marginalised.

The first outreach programme was launched in partnership with the Business Clinic at the University of Pretoria, Mamelodi Campus on 12 September 2013. The workshop was attended by 165 participants amongst them former Ms Earth, Ms Ella Bella and current Ms Earth, Ms Ashanti Mbanga.  Other scheduled workshops include:

Date Venue
18 September  2013 Vaal University of Technology
20 September 2013 University of Witwatersrand
25 September 2013 Central Johannesburg College- Alexandra Campus
30 September University of Johannesburg – Soweto Campus

At the workshop, a technology showcase was set up by Ecovest and Arivi, both green innovative entrepreneurs that are already supported by the CIC. Their innovative technologies focus on cooking solutions and solar panel lighting aimed at communities,  thus giving communities access to products that could have a lasting positive impact on their lives.