Harare, (New Ziana) – Innovations that are funded by the Government will continue to be systematically tracked until they are commercialised, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said.
He was speaking at the third edition of the Presidential Innovation Fair and Awards ceremony in Harare on Thursday, where he also encouraged entities in industry and the manufacturing sector, along with those in the creative cultural industry, as well as small and medium enterprises, to register their patents to protect Zimbabwean brands, products, and intellectual property.
“I reiterate my previous directive that patents and prototypes being produced by our innovators must be commercialised. Hence, all Government-funded innovations should be subject to systematic tracking and monitoring. We must be deliberate and more aggressive to guarantee that prototypes move to pilot, and pilot products transition to the market. Commercialisation will not happen by accident. I urge you all, within this innovation, research, scientific, and technological ecosystem, to be more proactive,” he said.
“Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, responsible for matters related to Intellectual Property Rights, are called upon to facilitate and guide in the filing, registration, and protection of property rights. As you are well aware, our nation, like the rest of the world, has entered an era in which digital and Artificial Intelligence tools are central to scaling up the positive impact of technologies.
On its part, my Government recognises that it is only through the requisite and increased investments in new technologies, science and innovation that Zimbabwe can accelerate the ongoing transformation towards Vision 2030,” he added.
President Mnangagwa said that educators at every level should be innovative and intentionally adapt to the new knowledge and skills associated with cutting-edge science and technological developments.
“I challenge our education sector to build on the efforts of the Second Republic, under my leadership. These have enabled our institutions to be resourced in terms of human capital, infrastructure, materials, and equipment to drive this new thrust. Further, institutions of higher learning, including those privately owned, must scale up their role in the transfer of knowledge and skills to the productive sectors.
“I expect that the education ecosystem and the private sector will deepen their collaboration to build a successful innovation ecosystem. This should remain anchored on sustainable mentorship programmes, co-funding arrangements, and the support for award-winning prototypes into viable start-ups, industries, and services exports,” he said.
President Mnangagwa also urged the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, to re-examine all innovations with a view to commercialising them in a systematic manner, and implored the private sector to be part of the endevour.
New Ziana
