Over P350m to be invested in innovation hub
Boitshepo Majube | Monday April 14, 2014 15:08
Officially opening the International Association of Science and Technology Parks conference in Gaborone last week, Kedikilwe said that the building will not only house BIH Headquarters, but will also provide accommodation to a number of other companies and institutions which may not necessarily want to construct their own facilities on the Park.
He revealed that to date, the government has invested some P245 million in the development of primary infrastructure in a 57-hectare piece of land on a prime location, which is strategically located along the Airport Road.
Kedikilwe stated that the developments include internal road network, sewage, water reticulation, and power supply as well as telecommunications networks inside the Park.
Kedikilwe said the Revised National Policy on Science Technology and Innovation adopted by Parliament in 2012 emphasises the provision of high quality scientific infrastructure to create an environment that promotes the involvement of the private sector and mentoring of start-up companies.
“This will be done through technology incubators and appropriate funding mechanisms all of which are part of the BIH road map.”
He stated that to achieve its goals, the Botswana Innovation Hub was established as a Special Purpose Vehicle to facilitate advancing Botswana to a status of a knowledge intensive society to spur economic diversification and job creation.
“The Hub aims at achieving this through attraction of relevant foreign direct investment, specifically in technology transfer and adaptation, research commercialisation and the fostering of a stronger national system of innovation and technology entrepreneurship development for diversification away from sole reliance on minerals,” he added.
He said this initiative has the potential to contribute to Botswana’s GDP. “One of the models being considered indicates a scenario in which an initial investment of P720 million is projected to ultimately contribute close to P21 billion towards GDP from business services.” He stated that a further P1.4 billion contribution to GDP is projected from construction activities. A net addition to Botswana’s GDP of P26 billion is projected using this model, which promises a positive return on investment.
On employment creation, Kedikilwe said that indications of the same model are that business services is projected to contribute 6,313 jobs in Botswana by the 15th year, while a total of 2,810 jobs are expected to be created during the construction phase of the park. Furthermore, Kedikilwe said in order to advance science, technology and innovation, Botswana has formed key partnerships with Square Kilometre Array (SKA) and the Southern Africa Innovation Support (SAIS) project.