JOHANNESBURG, March 20 (Xinhua) -- South Africa is hosting its first innovation week from Monday to Friday, launching a national platform to strengthen its innovation ecosystem.
The week-long event, held in Johannesburg and across the country, has brought together over 1,500 delegates and features more than 150 innovation projects and participating organizations, drawing innovators, investors, industry leaders and development partners from home and abroad.
Ismail Abdoola, acting chief executive officer of the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), told Xinhua that the event aims to showcase South Africa's globally competitive technologies and expand access to international markets.
"South Africa is open to high-quality investment and collaboration," Abdoola said, noting that partnerships with countries such as China have helped local innovators enter global markets through "soft landing" programs.
The program features pitching sessions, exhibitions and dialogue platforms, with entrepreneurs presenting projects to investors and industry stakeholders to support the growth of startups and emerging technologies.
Abdoola said that such cooperation has already delivered tangible results, including a South African-developed energy solution for electric buses used by Chinese manufacturer BYD.
Among the highlights of the event is the technical and vocational education and training lab, which aims to strengthen skills development and align education with the needs of a modern, innovation-driven economy, as part of a flagship initiative of the TIA under the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation. ■