Twenty SMEs, start-ups and young innovators will be given the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to showcase their new development or invention for the power and water industry at the Innovation Hub taking place during the upcoming African Utility Week in Cape Town from 17-19 May.
“Innovation and entrepreneurship form the lifeblood of any economy and the energy and water sectors need this more than ever,” said Evan Schiff, African Utility Week event director, adding. He added that their Innovation Hub will gather the brightest minds and ideas and partner them with the right people to take their projects to the next level and out into the world where they can make a real difference.
“We are so excited to offer 20 innovators out there the opportunity to be part of the Innovation Hub where they will meet with seasoned industry experts, heavyweights as well as industry incubators to help facilitate the growth of an African entrepreneurial ecosystem”.
The winners will each receive a free exhibition stand within the Innovation Hub area for the duration of the 3-day exhibition and showcase their developments or inventions through live presentations. They will benefit not only from the Innovation Hub conference sessions but also from industry incumbents, VC funders, project developers, incubators and the 6000+ visitors at African Utility Week who they get to interact with. Entry forms are on the website at: http://www.african-utility-week.com/innowin
“Innovation is often associated with development of new hardware and equipment technology”, says Helmut Hertzog, General Manager, Seda Atlantis Renewable Energy Business Incubator (SAREBI) and a speaker at the upcoming Innovation Hub in Cape Town,” he said.
“Developing new innovation in hardware is extremely expensive. The Johanna Thin film solar is a good example of this. Innovative payment and financing models abound the world over, there is very little space for new innovation here.”
In my view the key question is why so few South Africans adopt simple technologies like domestic solar water heating to start with? Why do so many rural communities shun clean off grid power solutions? Perhaps the single biggest innovation required is to find ways for the consumer market to actually adopt and desire simple proven technologies”.