BIH CEO, Mr. Alan Boshwaen

Botswana is not exactly synonymous with technology. Cattle farming, yes; diamond mining definitely. With the country’s over reliance on diamonds, there has increasingly been a need for the country to identify areas in which it has a competitive advantage in order to diversify.  In last year’s State-of-the-Nation address, President Ian Khama listed transport, energy, communications, mineral beneficiation, finance, tourism and innovation as the conduits through which economic diversification can be achieved to lead Botswana to prosperity.

Innovation is defined as the act of introducing something new, such as a new way of doing things or the creation of a product.  The engineer behind the Ford Mustang, Lee Iacocca, famously said “You can have brilliant ideas, but if you can’t get them across, your ideas won’t get you anywhere”. Mandated by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Botswana Innovation Hub was established in order to ensure that those with brilliant ideas are given the very support needed in order to convey those ideas to those who matter. This will, in the process, help create jobs for technology entrepreneurs.

It was quite evident that the world is moving towards science and technology and Botswana is proving that it will not be left behind by having just accepted its first intake of students at the country’s first revered science and technology university. There are however, some people who possess knowledge without having the qualifications to prove this. Whether it’s the lab assistant working in Serowe or the student based in Molepolole , Botswana Innovation Hub has programmes through which it can guide, advise and assist with the development of an innovation from concept to market.

Do not be left behind, the following are reasons of why we as Botswana should embrace the migration to technology innovation:

• Technology and its innovation thereafter can sustain the long-run growth of a country

• Innovation helps a country gain competitive advantage over others

• In a bid to increase foreign direct investment (FDI), Botswana can place itself in good stead by jumping on the innovation bandwagon

That Botswana can be a leading African destination for technology innovation is not far-fetched. That the International Association of Science Parks (IASP) Regional Conference is being hosted in Botswana from the 9th to the 11th of April is testament to this. With the right tools and support from relevant stakeholders, relevant innovations can be untapped between Molepolole and Serowe, and beyond.

These issues and others pertaining to science parks will be addressed at the International Association of Science Parks (IASP) Africa Division Conference in Gaborone from the 9th to 11th April at Gaborone International Convention Centre.