CSIR signs deal with businesses to commercialise technologies

24th January 2020

By: Rebecca Campbell

Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

     

Font size: - +

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has signed a trilateral agreement with two companies, 3Sixty Global Solutions Group (3Sixty GSG) and Tautomer, which is aimed at accelerating the commercialisation of technologies developed by the science council. (3Sixty GSG is a subsidiary of the Numsa Investment Company, and Tautomer is a partner company of 3Sixty GSG.)

The agreement will permit the companies to investigate collaboration and investment opportunities at the CSIR. It will open the way to investments in research and development projects. It was signed by CSIR CEO Dr Thulani Dlamini, 3Sixty GSG CEO Khandani Msibi and Tautomer MD Martin Magwaza.

“Engagements with 3Sixty GSG have led to the identification of strategic investment opportunities with the CSIR,” reported Dlamini. “These engagements come at a time when the CSIR is at the pinnacle of rolling out its new strategy to focus on industrial development. The agreement also allows for the initiation and execution of specific technology development projects.”

“Our group will, as a result [of this agreement], be the proud owner of some of the cutting-edge technological products with global appeal,” enthused Msibi. “The products we have focused on will solve some of our country’s [problems] and, ultimately, global problems in a commercially sound way. “We are starting a journey with the CSIR that will, once again, remind South Africa and the world about the technological leadership of this country, which, in many areas, remains unknown.”

The agreement will allow his company to fast-track its pharmaceutical and scientific investment strategy. The alignment with the CSIR gives 3Sixty GSG the opportunity to invest in technologies being developed by the science council and which are close to commercialisation. This applies particularly to technologies in the areas of biopharming, bioplastics, energy, pharmaceuticals, traditional medicines and wireless mesh networks.

The agreement is part of the CSIR’s new strategy to cooperate with both the public and private sectors to develop and localise technologies. Dlamini affirmed that the partnership is important for the commercialisation of local technological developments.

The CSIR announced its new strategy, accompanied by the creation of a new structure, last May. The fundamental objective of this new approach, adopted under a programme called Project Synapse, was to strengthen the CSIR’s support for, and development of, South African industry.

The new strategy has four main objectives. The first is growth – increasing the growth of the South African economy but also growing the CSIR itself. The second is sustainability – investing in innovation that enables South African enterprises to be globally competitive, and capacitating the State to deliver services to society, as well as ensuring the sustainability of the CSIR itself. The third is impact, which involves the transfer of technologies and knowledge solutions to government and industry. The fourth is relevance – the CSIR has a role to play regarding the application of innovation in the industrialisation of South Africa and in enabling the State to deliver on its mandate.

A major part of the CSIR’s new strategy is the commercialisation of its technologies. Commercialisation is a complex and challenging process, but the CSIR is determined to become proficient at it, so that it can truly play its mandated role. The science council wants its technologies to be in the market.

The CSIR is also in talks with other public- and private-sector entities regarding collaboration in the various research sectors in which they would be interested. The aim, by increasing investment in local research and development, is to help local industry and society to address the challenges facing them. In turn, this will strengthen economic growth and create more jobs in the country.

Edited by Martin Zhuwakinyu
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

Comments

The content you are trying to access is only available to subscribers.

If you are already a subscriber, you can Login Here.

If you are not a subscriber, you can subscribe now, by selecting one of the below options.

For more information or assistance, please contact us at subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za.

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION