WWW.INNOVATIONSUMMIT.CO.ZA

BACKGROUND

The SA Innovation Summit has grown into a premier event on the annual South African Innovation calendar. Created to support and promote innovation and facilitate collaboration among multi-helix actors, the SA Innovation Summit is a crucial tool to inspire sustained economic growth. The outcomes achieved by the Summit, amplify and revive Africa’s renowned competitive edge and it is a powerful tool to bring together thought leaders and connect with peers. The Summit provides the tools, knowledge, networking and funding opportunities, as well as hosted connectors such as competitions, discussions and introductions necessary to help take innovations from idea to market.

The SA Innovation Summit aims to support and expand innovation outcomes in universities, government institutions, private sector, garages and kitchens. The Summit is an important platform that teaches, connects and showcases great ideas with and in the market. We find and enable ideas that make a difference to successfully grow into companies that can create jobs and make a social impact.

The platforms created by the Summit comprise of various touch points such as the Pitching Den and Inventors Garage competitions, the national thought leader conference, lead up events and projects run throughout the year, the Match and Invest business matching platform, and the Technology Showcase where anyone can showcase and launch their new products, processes and services. Match & Invest assists in accelerating the deal-making process to accelerate the commercialization of new products and processes.

By combining the Summit Team’s passion, dedication, skills and in-depth knowledge of the innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem with their ability to bring together the entire ecosystem onto a single platform, the Summit’s contribution to the SA economy per year in terms of deal-making is calculated to be more than R1 billion.

GIANT ACCELERATORFOR ECONOMIC CHANGE

NEW IDEA / R&D PRE-COMMERCIAL START-UP & SCALE-UP

GOVERNMENT CORPORATE MULTI-NATIONAL SMME

INVESTIBLE BUSINESSES

TECHNOLOGY ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Manufacturing/Industry 4.0

Emerging Technologies & Smart Cities

Food Security & Agritech

FinTech

Design & EduTech

Logistics

Space

Business Matching through Match & Invest

Virtual Acceleration

Capacity BuildingProgrammes

Pitching Dens

Ecosystem Building & Networking

Inventors Garage Competition

Ecosystem Tours

Hackathons

Talent Search Campaigns

Volunteer Programme

Creativity Courses

Policy Writing

Platforms

2007

2013

2011

70+ FOOTFALL 20+ SPEAKERS

1500+ FOOTFALL

4200+ FOOTFALL

3500+ FOOTFALL

440 DELEGATES

60 SPEAKERS

3000+ FOOTFALL

4 CONTINENTS

22+ COUNTRIES

3500 FOOTFALL

22 UNIVERSITIES

32 COUNTRIES

3700 FOOTFALL

50 UNIVERSITIES

33 COUNTRIES

60 EXHIBITORS

1100 YOUTH

19 COUNTRIES

70+ INTERNATIONAL DELEGATES

90+ INDUSTRIES REPRESENTED

400+ ORGANISATIONS

150 FINANCIAL PROVIDERS

160 INTERNATIONAL DELEGATES

600+ ORGANISATIONS

160 INTERNATIONAL DELEGATES

500+ ORGANISATIONS

500+ FOOTFALL

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

THE SUMMITSTATISTICS JOURNEY

13CONFERENCES FOOTFALL

22 200SPEAKERS700+

COUNTRIES40+

Service Providers(SMMEs)

Government

Research Institutions& Universities

Innovators& Start-Ups

FinancialProviders

(Investors, Banks, Government Funders)

ForeignRepresentatives

Big Business &Corporates

Capacity Developers &Eco-system Enablers

Networks,Associations

& Foundations

Entrepreneurs

Students Media

ATTENDEE TYPES

A healthy balance between the private sector, public sector and academia indicates a balanced approach in activities that support the SA Innovation System and content that the Summit presents. The Summit reflects a solid representation of investors, small and medium businesses and entrepreneurs, as well as media, large private sector and the public sector. This shows the strength that lies within the SAIS to bring together a cross sector of society, collaborating in the innovation space to impact the space.

ITALY GREECE

CAMEROON SINGAPOREKENYA

USACHINA

ISRAEL

ZAMBIA

GHANA

BRAZIL

KUWAIT

BELGIUM

SEYCHELLES

LESOTHO

CANADA

SOUTH AFRICA

AUSTRALIA

CROATIA

NAMIBIA

NIGER

NIGERIA

MALAWI

BOTSWANA

TANZANIA

UGANDA

SWEDEN

RUSSIA

UK

PERU

FRANCE

FINLAND

IRELAND

MOZAMBIQUE

PORTUGAL

MEXICO

NETHERLANDS

HUNGARYAUSTRIA

GERMANY

SWITZERLAND

ETHIOPIA

MAURITIUS

ZIMBABWE

JAPAN

Over 40 countries have been represented at the Summit over the years illustrating the important bridges that have been built to showcase the growth of Africa’s international potential for importing and exporting innovations from and to Africa. It positions the SA Innovation Summit as the landing place from where to get to know the innovation landscape in South Africa.

COUNTRIESREPRESENTED

MOST POPULARINDUSTRIES REPRESENTED

• Education• Biotech & Health• ICT• Agritech• FinTech• Social

Entrepreneurship

• Smart Cities• Big Data, AI & IoT• Renewable Energy• Green Economy• Space• Oil & Gas• Food & Nutrition

• Banking• Agritech• eCommerce• Manufacturing• Media• Entertainment

ATTENDEEDESIGNATIONS

TITLES INCLUDE:• Chief Executive Officer• Vice President• Chairman• Chief Technology Officer• Chief Operating Officer• Director• Deputy Director• Divisional Head• Executive Manager• Entrepreneur• Business Development Manager• Acceleration Manager• Centre Manager• Founder & Co-founder• Communication Manager• Community Manager• General Manager

• Innovation Manager• Investor• Innovator• Journalist• Judge• Attorney• Researcher• Network Manager• Partner• Portfolio Manager• Principal• Programme Manager• Stakeholder Relations• Lecturer• Writer

40%C-SUITE, FOUNDERS

& DIRECTORS MANAGERS30%

OTHERS30%

ENTREPRENEURIALACCELERATION

THE HEART OF THE SUMMIT

MATCH & INVEST – a platform aimed to accelerate business and deal-making by connecting SA businesses and entrepreneurs with funders, corporates, academia, new and foreign markets, and others.

Through Match & Invest, different financial support mechanisms and investors, markets & researchers were connected with entrepreneurs at different phases of their growth cycle.

PITCHING DENS - the best entrepreneurs and start-ups are sourced and invited to present their innovative ideas, prototypes and inventions to a panel of judges.

THE INVENTORS GARAGE – an online competition, culminated in finalists showcasing their invention, prototype or design at the annual event.

MORE THAN 60% OF SURVEYED PARTICIPANTS were able to expand or improve their business by

attending the Summit

1 IN 4 ATTENDEESsaw a monetary gain from

the Summit

ORIGINATE PIPELINE 1400 STARTUPS IN 2019 PRE-COMMERCIAL TO HIGH TECH

HACKATHONS - an opportunity to build something brand new, disruptive and radical with the potential to change the SA landscape forever.

OTHER PLATFORMS INCLUDES:

80+ EXHIBITIONS ACTIVATIONS THOUGH LEADERSHIP &100+ SPEAKERS YEARLY

PANEL DISCUSSIONS AND KEY NOTES

VIRTUAL REALITY LOUNGE

PRODUCT LAUNCHES

COCKTAIL FUNCTIONS

AWARD CEREMONY

FOUNDERS LOUNGE

INNOVATION HALL OF FAME

BREAKAWAY SESSIONS

MASTERCLASSES & WORKSHOPS

ECO-SYSTEM TOURS

TESTIMONIALS

The volunteers were very helpful, friendly and kept checking if we needed anything. The Summit organisers were also present and engaged at all times which for me was a bonus because in most events, one can hardly see the organisers on the day as they are overwhelmed with work. If this was the case

then it was not visible and the level of professionalism was amazing.

“I liked the presence of youth and the platform they were granted to present their ideas and

initiatives.”

The various break-out sessions covering a variety of topics. The GCIP Medical Devices Pitching Contest.

The atmosphere was superb, with a great variety of content to indulge our minds.

It was open. Open to new ideas. Open to learn from mistakes, and open to every

person from all walks of life.

The opportunities for network building and as a gauge for how participants respond to

the ideas of social innovation

Prior to the event, any and all questions were answered by

members of The SA Innovation team. They were all so incredibly helpful

and really helped me in preparing for this event. The organisational

aspects and logistics were spot on!

Venue and people working as team players with support to each other to make the summit great.

The whole set up and arrangements. In particular, the speakers invited.

I liked the presence of youth and the platform they were granted to present

their ideas and initiatives.

The Matchmaking tables, and the system of organizing meetings with people before the summit

I loved the workshops that were held which educated us about the emerging technologies and how we can make good use of them

The meet and greet opportunities were f irst class. Great networking and well organised. Our table was gatecrashed a couple of times which

is awkward.

Its a learning tool nor platform open to the same mind as me and I believe that next year would be great

I got to explore different kind of innovative products and people.

The match and invest platform is the very useful. but my favorite has been the social innovation segment.

ORIGINATE

WHAT THE SUMMIT IS DOING WELL…

CONNECTSHOWCASE CAPACITATE

FEEDBACK

74% 76% 75%of respondents rated their experience as very good or

excellent

respondents will recommend the Summit to

others

of attendees felt they made connections to help take their business forward

Expanding locally

Expanding

internationally

Building capacity

Improving technology used in the business

Protecting knowledge base

Design an offering in an improved way

Expanded business networks

Marketing your

product / service

19%

17%

15%

17%

25%

31%

35%31%

SA INNOVATION SUMMIT REPUTATION SCORE: 81%

Bus iness Growth Profess ional s

PARTNERS &SPONSORS

CeSTIICentre for Science, Technology& Innovation Indicators

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