The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic), will continuously support innovation and technology development for commercialisation for businesses who are in need of financial and non-financial assistance from the department and its agencies. This was said by the Director of Innovation and Technology at the dtic, Ms Takalani Ramuthaga. She was speaking at a workshop attended by entrepreneurs in Hartswater, Northern Cape.
According to Ramuthaga, this entails support for new innovation and technology development through the Support for Industrial Innovation Programme of the dtic (SPII) and commercialisation of the developed technology through the Khoebo Innovation Programme Promotion ( KIPP) of the dtic.
“The non-financial support will focus on creating networking platforms for technology development and commercialisation and focused technology development and innovative thinking at grassroots levels through the local economic development in municipalities and Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency (Sedfa) situated in different district across the districts,” she said.
Ramuthaga acknowledged the lack of applications from innovators from the Northern Cape, especially from previously disadvantaged communities. She encouraged them to engage the department and other support institutions for funding and support.
“In a developing country such as South Africa, innovation has the potential to facilitate grassroots entrepreneurship and could help integrate previously marginalised groups into circuits of economic activities,” Ramuthaga added.
SPII is designed to promote technology development in South Africa’s industry, through the provision of financial assistance for the development of innovative products and/or processes. It is focussed specifically on the development phase, which begins at the conclusion of basic research and ends at the point when a pre-production prototype has been produced.
Media enquiries and interview requests:
Bongani Lukhele – Director: Media Relations
Tel: (012) 394 1643
Mobile: 079 5083 457
WhatsApp: 074 2998 512
E-mail: BLukhele@thedtic.gov.za
Issued by: The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic)
X: @the_dtic
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Website : https://www.thedtic.gov.za/
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