Botswana Innovation Hub (BIH) has expressed commitment to promote and facilitate the growth of the sector primarily through companies that are affiliated to the Hub working with partners along the triple helix model.
The Clean Tech Centre initiative is the latest addition to the innovation development programmes at BIH. The Hub registers companies in this sector through the technology entrepreneurship programme as well as through the BIH Company registration process.
BIH Director Marketing, Registration and ICT, Dr Geoffrey Seleka, has pointed out that so far BIH has registered three local companies on Clean Tech related businesses, with several international companies having expressed their interest.
He added that the areas of focus for such companies are solar energy generation, waste management and waste to energy businesses, biofuels production, and energy efficiency and management.
“We are optimistic at BIH that this sector will have a positive impact on economic diversification if nurtured well,” said Seleka.
He explained that the centre’s competency shall be based on the support rendered by research and development community. He also encourages the Clean Tech researchers to be part of the centre through participating in centre organised dialogue sessions, development of projects proposals and implementation.
“BIH recognises Clean Tech partnership, being Lund University and Krinova Incubator and Science Park, Swedish SIda and the government of Botswana for supporting the initiative during its development phase,” said Seleka.
He stated that other stakeholders have helped BIH fine tune the programme strategic documents and implementation plans.
Lund University ÔÇô Clean Tech Deputy Vice Chancellor Eva Wiberg said the ambition to jointly is to develop a Clean-Tech Centre of expertise within the Botswana Innovation Hub to promote locally relevant environmentally sound business development and Public Private Partnership projects in Botswana with potential for technology transfer, adoption and employment creation.
“Lund University has a 30 years long good experience from having a Science and Technology park connected to the University. The Idea on Science Park has been the starting point for innovations such as the GSM mobile telephones and GSM network, the Bluetooth technology and new healthy food and many more initiatives. Lund University have also a special department,” said Wiberg.
She is of the view that BIH CleanTech Centre will be able to assist Botswana CleanTech stakeholders to develop new innovative solutions to the environmental challenges of the region and at the same time create jobs and employment.
Wiberg pointed out that a situational analysis of the scope of what is Clean Technologies in Botswana’s context and on the world markets, has showed that Clean Technologies are one of the most growing markets globally.
“The programme development also involved a desktop benchmarking study of other CleanTech centres around the world. These allowed for the adoption of a model for the Botswana CleanTech Centre,” she said.
