AFRICAN INCUBATOR NETWORK (AIN) Southern Africa Workshop Providing solutions to Small Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship through Networks and Awareness 8 10 July, 2007 in Maputo, Mozambique Overview Objectives: The SAIN Workshop will gather incubator professionals, government decision makers and higher education representatives from Southern Africa to: exchange knowledge on business incubation in Southern Africa expand AIN by attracting and integrating new members and partners outline concrete initiatives to support the AIN objectives The outputs of this workshop will help to lay the foundation for a proposed Pan- African Incubator Conference in September/October 2007. Background: AIN is an informal association of incubators in Africa established with support from infodev s Incubator Initiative and is currently being facilitated by SoftStartBTI in Southern Africa; BusyInternet in West Africa and the Uganda Industrial Research Institute in East Africa. The objectives of the AIN are to: raise awareness of the aims and impact of business incubation and innovation and entrepreneurship support programs; develop cooperation between business incubators, technology parks and governments in the region; foster exchange of knowledge between business incubation managers; and contribute to improved regulations and policies that enable innovation and entrepreneurship. infodev s Incubator Initiative was started in 2002, and has provided financing and technical assistance to 65 business incubators in 47 developing countries. In 2006 alone infodev incubators assisted more than 2,600 entrepreneurs with accelerating their businesses, and reached over 1,000 practitioners, policy makers and donors through regional and global learning events. Learn more about AIN and business incubation at: www.idisc.net or www.africanincubator.net
A G E N D A Note: Workshop will be held at Hotel Cardoso, Conference room - Bayet Sunday, July 8, 2007: Arrival of delegates Delegates will arrive to the hotel individually unless transportation agreed with Lalane/MITC A conference desk for registration and general information will be set up at the hotel lobby from 3pm 6pm 18:00 21:00 Welcome Cocktail Party & Informal Networking Cardosa Hotel Restaurant Monday, July 9, 2007: Workshop Day One 8:30 9:00 Registration continues (for those who did not register the day before) 9:00 10:15 Opening Ceremony 9:00 9:30 Minister of Science & Technology Mozambique Government, H.E. Prof. Dr. Eng.Venâncio Massingue. 9:30-9:45 Update on the AIN Network Activities Mr. Leon Lourens AIN Southern Africa facilitator (SoftstartBTI) 9:45 10:00 SEDA Technology Programme Mr. Charles Wyeth, CEO 10:00 10:15 Introduction to the infodev Incubator Initiative Ms. Ellen Olafsen, Operations Officer, infodev 10:15 10:45 Tea and networking break 10:45-13:00 Session 1: Innovation and Entrepreneurship The role of incubation Country perspectives on the role that incubation is playing in supporting innovative small enterprise development Speakers involved (Presentations to be confirmed) Angola Jacinto Ferreira Botswana Zwide Mbulawa (presentation confirmed/received) Mozambique Jamo Macanze Namibia Thomas Mukaiwa South-Africa Leon Lourens Zambia Emmanuel Chilu Incubation performance and view on supporting small enterprise and economic development Incubation seed and operational funding issues Cementing the relationship between the Incubator, the Government and Tertiary Institutions Facilitated group discussion: Estelle Akofio-Sowah (AIN s West Africa sub regional facilitator) 45 Min
13:00 14:00 Lunch and networking break Venue: Cardosa Hotel Restaurant 14:00-15:15 Session 2: Government s Role in Innovation and Entrepreneurship The role that governments play in successfully developing innovation and entrepreneurship will be highlighted in this session Speakers involved Angola Arcelinda Dionisia Tulumba Chingala Botswana Mr. Walter Kgabung/Dr. Roy Ontiretse (Local Enterprise Authority LEA) Mozambique Prof. Dr. Antonio Leão South-Africa Jayesh Ravjee SEDA Government representatives to provide feedback on the role incubators are currently playing / or can play in their respective countries to stimulate small enterprise development Review of regional Government programmes to support incubation or enterprise development initiatives? Governments perspective on the role of technology innovation/commercialisation, incubation and entrepreneurship in delivering on economic development Governments perspective on the role and possibilities of regional cooperation Facilitated group discussion Steve Giddings (Consultant, infodev Incubator Initiative) 15:15 15:30 Tea and networking break 15:30-16:15 Session 3: Role Universities play in Innovation and Entrepreneurship Overview of the important role of universities and their linkages with small enterprise development instruments in the region. Botswana Prof Isaac Mazonde South-Africa Dr Alex Antonites Zambia To be advised Mozambique Dr. Eng. Carlos Lucas, Senior Researcher (Energy Technology), Faculty of Engineering Presentation by university representatives on their role in supporting innovative small enterprise development Universities role as knowledge centres and/or centres of excellence for entrepreneurial development Importance of innovation and technology commercialisation as an instrument of economic development Linking Universities with Government and Incubators to stimulate small enterprise development Facilitated group discussion: Leon Lourens (AIN s Southern Africa sub regional facilitator)
16:15-17:15 Session 4: African Incubator Network 16:15-16:45 Regional Network Activities and why infodev, by Ellen Olafsen 16:45-17:15 Reviewing the objectives set by the Africa network in Hyderabad 18:30-20:30 Group Dinner Venue: Restaurant Cardosa Hotel Tuesday, July 10, 2007: Workshop Day Two 9:00-10:30 Session 5: Working Session Informal discussion among participants about predetermined themes, e.g. best practices, problem areas Ellen Olafsen/Steve Giddings 10:30-10:45 Tea and networking break 10:45-11:30 Session 6: From Delhi to Hyderabad and now to Southern Africa Discussions around a Southern African Incubator Association Preparing for the Pan Africa Conference Presentation of tools e.g. idisc Facilitator: David Cromar (Solvebrand) 11:30-12:30 Session 7: Summary, Conclusions and Next Steps Summary of the proposed steps concluded from the facilitated discussion. 12:30-13:30 Closing Ceremony & Lunch Lunch Venue: Restaurant Cardosa Hotel Departure of participants according to individual travel schedules Ms. Lalane Janse van Rensburg Project Manager, SBTI Johannesburg, South Africa Phone +27 11 695 4805 Mobile +27 82 852 0249 E-mail: lalane@sbti.co.za Mr. Steve Giddings infodev Regional Facilitator for Africa Johannesburg, South Africa Phone +27 82 461 6750 E-mail: sgiddings@worldbank.org Contact Information
Ms. Heidi Humala infodev Program Analyst Washington DC, USA Phone +1 202 458 5957 E-mail: hhumala@worldbank.org