TechInAfrica – You may have seen our story regarding the three healthcare startups among 11 finalists to compete in this year’s South Africa Innovation Summit. The annual event celebrating innovative ideas, startups, and early-stage companies in the tech and tech-enabled sectors has expected to welcome a total of 600 companies, 450 entrepreneurs, and 150 investors on September 11th through 13th. Aiming to develop Africa’s full potential in the fields of technology, this year’s South Africa Innovation Summit is themed From Africa to the World.
“It is a David against Goliath story, and it is time to take Africa to the World! It will take courage, vision and ingenuity. The lion is waking up and Africa is rising.”
Along with its official hashtag #SAIS2019, the event also conducts numerous competitions to celebrate upcoming innovations and modernizations in the digital era. The competitions are:
- Andza Entrepreneurs, aiming to find the top investment-ready businesses in the country to fast track them to success, and provide a platform to help accelerate their innovative ideas to greater heights and further develop the South African economy.
- Winetech, aiming to find innovators and disruptors; providing unique solutions and products which can be commercialized, to wine producers and the agritech industries.
- Africa Cup, aiming to welcome all innovative ideas, startups and early stage companies in tech-enabled sectors from around the world to take advantage of this opportunity to compete for investment, showcase their products or services, gain market and media exposure, and secure support in the stages of scaling and growth.
- SEDA Pitch & Perfect, in collaboration with Small Enterprise Development Agency, the competition presents the fourth season of the Pitch & Perfect Masterclasses and Competition; titled “Bridging the Gap between Entrepreneurs and Funders”.
- Inventor’s Garage, aiming to see independent innovations from kitchen and garage inventors, to seasoned innovators and engineering students. Participants are encouraged to enter, compete and showcase their inventions at the Inventor’s Garage.
The event’s stakeholders spoke of the annual programme, “our annual programme comprise of carefully curated expert speakers, thought leaders, seasoned entrepreneurs, leading academics and researchers. The programme aims to not only educate, inform and showcase, but also to motivate and inspire. Ultimately, the programme supports the Summit’s objective to accelerate economies.”
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In addition, here’s a comprehensive list of masters of ceremonies, keynote speakers, and judges;
Masters of Ceremonies
- Peter Greenwall, engineer
- Bobby Brown, founder of Bobby Brown Solutions
- Brandon Paschal, Incubation Manager at LaunchLab
- Selebogo Molefe, founder of The Hookup Dinner (THUD)
Judges
- Dr Akintoye Akindele, Founder and Managing Partner of Synergy Capital Managers
- Albert Strever, Senior Lecturer and Coordinator of Agro-Innovation Hub
- Nontombi Marule, Director: Innovation and Technology Policy at the Department of Trade and Industry
- Dominique Trione, Chairman of the Board, Inno’vin
- Dr Ponmile Osibo, Chief Investor Relations Officer: Unicorn Group
- Pieter De Beer, Industry Development Manager: IDC of SA
- Baratang Miya, CEO of GirlHype
- Charles Back, Proprietor: Fairview Wines
- Senisha Moonsamy, GM Innovation Skills Development at Technology Innovation Agency
- Marc Augustin, Start-Up Coach and International Development: Bordeaux Technowest
- Niki Neumann, Managing Director: Afgri Technology Services
- Vuyisa Qabaka, Cofounder of Uprise Africa
Keynote Speakers
- Michael van Straaten, CEO of Verimark
- Tabassum Qadir, CEO of Uprise Africa
- Dr Akintoye Akindele, Founder and Managing Partner of Synergy Capital Managers
- Stephan Ekbergh, CEO and Founder of Travelstart
- Jim Beddows, CEO of TDP Data Systems
- Tilson Mphathi Manyoni, Managing Director and Founder of Visionwave; Director of MilestoneSA
- Dr Phil Mjwara, Director-General of the Department of Science and Technology
- Dr Mmaki Jantjies, Senior Lecturer at University of the Western Cape
- Catherine Wijnberg, Director and Founder of Fetola
- Mr Lionel October, Director-General of the Department of Trade and Industry
- Samar Singla, CEO and Founder of Jugnoo
- Dr Robert Nkuna, Director-General of the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services
- Dr Audrey Verhaeghe, Chariperson of South Africa Innovation Summit
- Deidre Samson, Futurist and Innovation Specialist at Future-Fit
- Bryan Hattingh, CEO and Founder of Cycan LTD.
- Ketso Gordhan, CEO of SA SME Fund
- Adam Oxford, Southern Africa agent of the Hague Institute for Innovation of Law
- Anthony Nathan, Co-Founder of TMARA
- Dr Joe Molete, Executive Director of VUT Science Park
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- Marang Marekimane, Managing Partner of Lean Business Platform
- Clive Butkow, CEO of Kalon Venture Partners
- Naëtt Atkinson, Founder and Mediator
- Dan Willis, Millennial Motivator
- Dr Habib Noorbhai, Senior Lecturer and Researcher at the University of Johannesburg
- Dr Patricia Gouws, Senior Lecturer at UNISA
- Zoe Amin Akhlaghi, CEO of ZAMSTEC
- Dr Wynand Goosen, CEO of IRG
- Nélio Macombo, Community Strategist of Mozdevz
- Lana Leas-Roy, CEO and Founder of Goats2Unicorns
- Pontsho Manzi, CEO of Boam Investment Group
- Mustapha Zaouini, Head of Innovation of Fliptin
- Stephen Gray, Founder of the Makerspace Foundation
- Robynne Zevenster, Attorney at Rademeyer Attorneys
- Xabiso Lombo, CEO of Guardian Gabriel
- Willem Gous, Founder of the Human Entrepreneur
- Regine le Roux, Managing Director of Reputation Matters
- Tshepo Magoma, Independent Consultant of Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR)
- Tania Ikedji Mukwamu, Co-Founder of Maxicash LTD.
- Puno Selesho, Junior Bee Consultant of Motopi Consulting
- Christiane Holzinger, Chairwoman of Junior Chamber Austria
- Dr Nick Bradshaw, Artificial Intelligence Entrepreneur
- Daniel Howard, CTO of Simbapay
- Emma Wade-Smith, Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for Africa
- Janine Nel, Director of Teach the Future SA
- Terence Naidu, Founder and Managing Director of Envisionit E-Pay
- Aunnie Patton Power, Founder of Intelligent Impact
- Ilari Lindy, Lead Expert of Southern Africa Innovation Support Programme
- Ross Tasker, Co-Founder of Nobuntu
- Keolebogile Shirley Motaung, CEO and Founder of Global Health Biotech LTD.
- Wura Abiola, Managing Director of Management Transformation LTD.
- Basia Nasiorowska, CEO of NEOVRAR
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- Johannes Cronje, Dean of Informatics and Design at Cape Peninsula University of Technology
- Dr Sumarie Roodt, President of the Silicon Cape Initiative
- Glenn Gillis, CEO of Sea Monster
- Christophe Breuillet, Director of Vitagora Cluster
- Jaco Fourie, Executive Coach & Leadership Trainer of Cycan
- Fuzlin Levy-Hassen, Interim Chief Executive Officer of Technology Innovation Agency
- Senisha Moonsamy, GM Innovation Skills Development of Technology Innovation Agency
- Michael Scherz, Head of Innovation of Advantage Austria
- Shirley Gilbey, Director of UK-SA Tech Hub
- Robert de Rooy, Founder of Creative Contracts LTD.
- Sinah Mosehla, Director of the DTI, Industrial Policy Development Division
- David Sekgororwana, Senior Industry Development Manager of Industrial Development Corporation
- Paul Kallmes, Special Projects/International Development of 360 Lab SF
- Alexandra Burger, Managing Director of Lyra Consulting LTD.
- Kristi Erasmus, Head of Faculty at Futures Law Faculty
- Dominique Trioné, Chairman of the Board of Inno’vin
- Fade Ogunru, CEO of Bookings Africa
- Mark White, Partner of White Summers Caffe & James
- Abbas Jamie, Futurist and Engineer
- Dr. Puleng Makhoalibe, PhD in Business Management from the University of Cape Town
- Emile Fourie, Founding Member of Y-Waste Solutions
- Karen Hidden, Founder various non-profit entities
- Lucinda Heyns, Extension Specialist of Winetech
- Baratang Miya, CEO of Girlhype
Source: innovationsummit.co.za and thesouthafrican.com