Catalysing and Scaling Innovation In Tanzania

More documents

Recommendations

Info

CATALYSING AND SCALING Innovation in Tanzania: A review of approaches • CONTEXT1. CONTEXT1.1 The innovationecosystem in TanzaniaSuccessful innovation ecosystems comprise multipleplayers – including the government, the privatesector, research institutions, innovation hubs, civilsociety, and the innovators themselves – developingstrong connections and contributing resources,knowledge, and skills that together influence thecreation of new solutions.Tanzania is home to an increasing number ofdynamic individuals and institutions who make upthe country’s flourishing innovation ecosystem.A network of innovators, entrepreneurs, techbusinesses and hubs have come together topromote their services, host events, and putthemselves on the map. Yet without a supportiveenvironment, even the most innovative ideas willstruggle to scale and grow. Although the ecosystemis gaining momentum and becoming more activeand connected, it is still in its early stages. Inorder for it to transition to a mature ecosystem, aconcerted effort is needed to improve the flow ofinformation, create better linkages between actors,strengthen the policy environment, and build thecapacity and resources of key institutions as wellas the business and technical capacity of theinnovators themselves.In an early-stage ecosystem, hubs play a crucialrole in incubating and accelerating innovativeideas and building entrepreneurship skills. In Tanzania,new hubs are popping up every day: whereas in2011, Buni Hub, Kinu Hub and Mara Space 5 werethe three main physical spaces that providedsupport to entrepreneurs, there are now more than40 hubs across the country. Local, community-driveninitiatives, such as Sahara Sparks 6 and Smart Lab 7 ,that provide support to start-ups and connect themwith the private sector have emerged. The Annex tothis report provides an overview of the different typesof support mechanisms that are present in Tanzania.Despite the proliferation of new hubs, many of themstruggle with generating cash flow and a sustainablebusiness model to support their activities. At thesame time, the services that they provide are notalways well aligned to the needs of the start-ups,and the public and private clients they serve. Many5https://maraphones.com/philanthropy/B6www.saharasparks.com7http://smartlab.co.tz/HDIFBelowA womanexperiencingVirtual Reality(VR) at InnovationWeek 2018, withOnaStories, amedia productioncompany thatuses VR forimmersivestorytellingin Tanzania.10
CATALYSING AND SCALING Innovation in Tanzania: A review of approaches • CONTEXTHDIFhubs focus on providing business support to smalland medium-sized enterprises and individuals to helpcommercialise their ideas. Less attention is given tothe convening role they could play in bringing thedifferent innovation stakeholders together andfacilitating connections to funders and investors tocreate a conducive environment for any innovationto thrive.The government recognises the role that science,technology, and innovation (STI) can play in findingsolutions to the development and economicchallenges facing the country. The TanzaniaDevelopment Vision 2025 8expresses the need toindustrialise in order to create jobs for millions ofyoung people to achieve its vision of becoming amiddle-income country. Underpinning the Visionis Tanzania’s 1996 National Science and TechnologyPolicy (currently under review) which acknowledgesSTI tools as key for fostering industrial developmentand eventually developing into a modern economy.For Tanzania to realise its vision, it is criticalfor the younger generation to be given theopportunity to develop skills for innovation andentrepreneurship. Universities could play a strongerrole in this. Innovation does not feature stronglyin the curriculum, and technology transfer fromresearch to innovation is not yet very common.Universities are starting their own hubs to supportentrepreneurship, but as with the other hubs, theseare still in the process of finding their individual waysof working.1.2 Who is supportinginnovation in Tanzania?And how?There is a growing number of stakeholders whoare ready to support innovation in Tanzania –including angel investors, donors, venture capitalists,foundations, the private sector, and the government.The telecom sector is a champion of innovation andcontinues to build on the success of Mpesa, themarket disrupting mobile phone-based bankingservice that launched in 2007 and quickly grewto reach more than 10 million customers in justa few years. For example, Vodacom Tanzania andSmart Lab recently launched Vodacom DigitalAccelerator 9, a programme to help early-stageand growth-stage technology start-ups in Tanzaniato become profitable. But the telecom sectoris ahead of the curve and corporate engagement inAboveChildren drinkwater filteredby the locallymanufacturedNanofilter at awater kiosk inArusha.8https://mof.go.tz/mofdocs/overarch/Vision2025.pdf9https://vodacom.co.tz/en/news/index/view/id/307/11
Page 1 and 2: CATALYSING ANDSCALING Innovationin
Page 3 and 4: CATALYSING AND SCALING Innovation i
Page 9: CATALYSING AND SCALING Innovation i
Page 39 and 40: 39

Catalysing and Scaling Innovation In Tanzania

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?