Emerging countries have become part of the inter-linked global society, with digitization and globalization as its driving forces. In African countries, a dynamic innovation culture has emerged. Companies, private initiatives, universities and a new start-up scene collaborate, interlink and co-create.
To understand the “African rising” story, you have to look at its digital hotspots. Cape Town is one of them.
Cape Town has a favorable business culture, an entrepreneurial spirit, four strong universities and an iconic landscape. And it is the southernmost part of a rising continent looking for new solutions.
Most entrepreneurial investments in Cape Town are tech-enabled and solving problems unique to the African continent. As a result, Cape Town has not yet been in the spotlight of global attention. Maybe this being one of the reasons that Cape Town has emerged as a very specific and highly innovative ecosystem.
Global Innovation Expert
Global Innovation Expert is featuring the innovation ecosystem of Cape Town in a 2-day seminar on March 8th/9th, 2018.
Global Innovation Expert is an international executive education program focusing on innovation management. Two-day seminars are taking place in Vienna, San Francisco, Shanghai, Nairobi and herewith Cape Town, presenting the different innovation cultures from Europe, the US, China and Africa. The Global Innovation Expert’s partner universities are Wirtschaftsuniversität Vienna, Berkeley University of California, Shanghai University and Strathmore Business School.
ECOTEC has contributed to set up of the program in Cape Town. ECOTEC’s partner IO InnovationOrbit e.U. is the organizer of the program.
Where and when?
March 8th/9th, 2018
venue:
Workshop 17
V&A Waterfront
Dock Road (alongside Ferryman’s Pub)
Cape Town/South Africa
Program
Thursday, March 8, 2018
MORNING
1
The African start-up revolution – by Marcello Schermer
2
Impact Venture Capital and Corporate Innovation in Africa – by Zachariah George
3
Thoughts on cashless payments in South Africa – by Rupert Sully
AFTERNOON
4
How to scale training and education, ‘We Think Code’ – Tourby Arlene Mulder
5
Corporate Innovation, an incubator perspective – by Philip Marais
6
Turning a crisis into an opportunity: Cape Town’s water crises – by George Gabriel
EVNING: Special Dinner
Friday, March 9, 2018
7
South African start-up success storiesby Vuyisa Qabaka
8
Insights into investing in African start-upsby Alexandra Fraser
9
Innovation in distribution for informal marketsby Arnaud Blanchet
AFTERNOON
10
The township economy at RLabsby Marlon Parker
11
DroneClouds – Can innovations contribute to resolve the water crises? (tbc)
Saturday/Sunday, March 10/11, 2017
Optional: Tour and wine tasting in Cape Town’s winelands
Faculty / List of Speakers
Who should join the seminar?
Participants come from the private and the public sector, being entrepreneurs and managers responsible for innovation strategies, executives from research institutions, and other persons in leadership positions who are interested in innovations cultures or start-up ecosystems.
Seminar fee
The fee is 1.800 Euro plus VAT. The 2-day program, full-day catering, site visits and one evening event is included.
Application
If interested, please apply here. The number of participants is limited to 16 persons.
application has been closed.
Kick-off Global Innovation Expert: Join us on June 13 in Vienna for a discussion on Silicon Savannah: With the ambassador of Kenya in Austria, the Consul of Mozambique and lectures on the new Africa and its innovation ecosystem
The event will gather a selected group of international, purpose-driven investors and executives for an evening of inspiration and networking with a particular focus on the economic development and chances for investments in Africa.
On personal invitation only: Book presentation of Irene Yuan Sun in Vienna on Nov 15, 2017: The Next Factory of the World: How Chinese Investment is reshaping Africa
More and more European companies are expanding to Africa. Successful is who knows how to adapt and go new ways. Through an exchange with practitioners this workshop provides insights in new business models and shows you the importance of agile methods in emerging markets.
Cape Town has a favorable business culture, an entrepreneurial spirit, four strong universities and an iconic landscape. And it is the southernmost part of a rising continent looking for new solutions.
Most entrepreneurial investments in Cape Town are tech-enabled and solving problems unique to the African continent. As a result, Cape Town has not yet been in the spotlight of global attention. Maybe this being one of the reasons that Cape Town has emerged as a very specific and highly innovative ecosystem.
