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🚀 South Africa's Innovation Landscape: Bridging Skills Gap Adding to the challenge, the Digital Skills Gap Index reveals a concerning gap of 4.4 out of 10 in South Africa, placing it at number 88 out of 134 economies globally. This gap, compounded by a lack of government support, digital responsiveness, and insufficient digital skills institutions, poses significant barriers to our nation's progress. Despite these challenges, South Africans are renowned for their inventive flair and resilience. Our history boasts numerous businesspeople, inventions, and innovations that testify to our creative ability to solve critical challenges and commercialize breakthroughs. Digital literacy skills are imperative to navigate the ever-evolving digital landscape, while innovation management skills are crucial for ideation, development, and commercialization. Project management skills enable effective resource allocation, and an entrepreneurial mindset fosters opportunity identification and value creation. Critical thinking, creativity, effective communication, and a growth mindset are essential traits that reinforce entrepreneurship and pave the way for success. It's time to bridge the gap and empower our future generations with the skills and mindset necessary to thrive in an increasingly digital and innovative world. Let's collaborate, innovate, and propel South Africa forward together! Read More (https://lnkd.in/gG45wWvU) Alison Collier Endeavor Cleola Kunene (MBA) Michel Weiss Christophe Viarnaud AfricArena Audrey Verhaeghe Sanjay Soni CA(SA) Jozi Angels Matsi Modise SiMODiSA Association #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #SkillsDevelopment #SouthAfrica

𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 Hello everyone, 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘭 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 😂 I am excited to share some insights from one of the discussions at the Africa Tech Festival, focusing on driving corporate innovation. Which was led by Aasiyah Adams - Founder Abaguquli4IR Your Accredited Provider of Digital Skills, Hardy Pemhiwa, President Ntuli, Ian Merrington & Phuthi M. As Hardy Pemhiwa, Founder and CEO of Cassava Technologies, aptly said: "𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯." Innovation is often misunderstood. It encompasses: 1. Identifying a problem 2. Understanding its impact on communities 3. Developing solutions to address the problem Nowadays people misinterpret innovation as an invention or that innovation is only related to technological advancements only being for exceptionally intelligent people. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮 AI is projected to contribute over $20 trillion to global GDP. With this in mind, it's crucial to ask: What share of this potential can African tech leaders and industries capture? How can they contribute to this growth? Talking about Innovation, African tech companies can harness the power of innovation by using tools like copilots and large language models (LLMs) to drive innovation in numerous impactful ways. These impactful ways might involve ensuring the efficient use of copilots to facilitate services, ensuring that companies are market-ready, building resilient systems, and enhancing productivity. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮 • Tech regulations across the continent • Difficulty in embracing failure • And many more... I'll conclude with another thought-provoking quote:"𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘶𝘳𝘦, 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘪𝘵." "#corporateinnovation #africatechfestival #techleadership #innovationinsights #futureofinnovation #techrevolution #innovationafrica #techtrends #leadershipandinnovation #digitaltransformation #techadvancements #innovationhub #aiinbusiness #techconference #innovationstrategy #businessgrowth #emergingtechnologies #techinnovation #corporategrowth #innovativeleadership

🌍 Empowering Change Through African Talent & German-African Collaboration🌍 In the last few weeks, I’ve attended inspiring events that highlighted the incredible potential of African talent and the importance of strengthening German-African partnerships. At the Africa Impact Festivalin Berlin, a diverse group of startups showcased impactful solutions, each addressing critical issues across Africa. From startups promoting access to affordable healthcare to those championing sustainable agriculture, digital finance, and clean energy, it was powerful to see innovation driving positive change. One standout example was the festival's pitching competition winner, a startup tackling renewable energy access in underserved regions—a vital step toward sustainable development. Mentorship circles provided crucial insights for aspiring entrepreneurs, covering essentials like funding, market access, and scaling strategies. Supported by partners including : Westerwelle Foundation, BlackinTech Berlin, Blocks of Change, Der Afrika-Verein, Earthmates, enpact, Flat6Labs, GICA, GPI, GUT Am Flughafen 1, Launch Africa Ventures, Manuyoo, Start.Up Lounge Africa, and The Nest Innovation Technology Park it’s clear that collaboration is key to fostering sustainable growth. The German-African Relations Event in late October further underscored this, with inspiring ambassadors from Kenya, Liberia, and Congo presenting key investment opportunities in sectors like smart cities, healthcare, and IT. Their message was powerful: Africa is ready and equipped to be a strategic partner, and Germany’s engagement is essential for meaningful, long-term growth. I’ll soon continue this conversation as a panelist at the Leipzig Intercultural Exchange. As we discuss the value of foreign talent in Germany, it’s clear that fostering an inclusive environment for skilled professionals is not only beneficial but crucial for a resilient economy. What I took away from these experiences:Supporting African talent and investing in Africa are not just choices—they’re opportunities that can transform economies. If you share this vision, let’s connect and work together to build a stronger, interconnected future. Sydney Sam Marco Maiworm Seyi Alabi Westerwelle Foundation #AfricaImpactFestival #GermanAfricanRelations #DiasporaTalent #InvestmentOpportunities #GermanyAfrica

🌍 Reflecting on an Incredible Experience at the African Startup Conference in Algiers 🇩🇿 And what an experience ! My first business trip to my native country … It sounds like a dream coming true. It was such an honour to give a keynote about 'Empowering Africa's healthcare through AI and innovation', participating in two panels, and meeting incredible people from the Algerian and African diaspora at the African Startup Conference. Returning to my homeland to contribute to such a significant event is a milestone I will always cherish. It was heartwarming to see so many passionate individuals, all committed to driving innovation and fostering sustainable growth in Africa. The conference brought together ministers from 17 African countries and influential actors across various sectors. We engaged in rich discussions on enhancing public-private collaboration, accelerating cross-border cooperation, and establishing a resilient startup and SME ecosystem. Some of the Key priorities highlighted towards the closure of the event included: 👉 Investing in capacity-building initiatives 👉 Fostering partnerships between universities, research institutions, and venture firms 👉 Supporting underrepresented groups through tailored programs 👉 Implementing fiscal reforms to attract foreign investments One of the most inspiring moments was the unveiling of Algeria’s National AI Strategy led by Merouane Debbah , a visionary plan to drive innovation, economic growth, and societal progress. It was a privilege to discuss the development of the Algerian AI ecosystem and the strategic investments needed to unlock its immense potential. I want to thank the ministers especially the Minister of Knowledge Economy, Startups and Micro-enterprises, Noureddine OUADAH and the General Secretary ARHAB Nacima ; Mouloud Khelif and Farid Arab for your countless efforts, and my fellow delegates for their forward-thinking leadership and unwavering belief in a future fuelled by innovation. Together, we can build a sustainable healthcare system that not only meets the needs of today but also anticipates and adapts to the needs of tomorrow. To my fellow members : let's continue to leverage our global experiences and expertise to support Algeria’s and Africa's overall ongoing efforts in innovation and growth and build more bridges. This is just the beginning of an exciting journey, and I am eager to see what we can achieve together. Let’s keep the momentum going! 👉 And because there have been too many highlights, I will be sharing some more in the next posts so stay tuned ! #AfricanStartupConference #DigitalHealth #AI #Innovation #Healthcare #Algeria #Technology #WomenInTech #DiasporaEngagement

Asia and Africa are emerging as powerhouses of growth, brimming with untapped potential and opportunity. With their youthful populations, rapid urbanization, and technological advancements, these regions are shaping the future of global industries. From innovation in technology and sustainable practices to thriving entrepreneurial ecosystems, Asia and Africa are not just upcoming markets — they are the next big drivers of progress and transformation. The future of business lies where ambition meets opportunity, and these regions are leading the way. #EmergingMarkets #AsiaAfricaGrowth #GlobalOpportunities #FutureOfBusiness #InnovationFrontier

Africa -U.S. Business Summit in Dallas-Texas: Monday, May 6, 2024 - Thursday, May 9, 2024  The Africa -U.S. Business Summit is a prestigious gathering that brings together African and U.S. senior government officials, private sector executives, international investors, entrepreneurs, and multilateral stakeholders from both sides of the Atlantic. This year's event promises to be the most dynamic and engaging yet, offering unparalleled opportunities for networking, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing. Africa stands at a crossroads. The continent brims with immense potential: innovative tech sectors, a dynamic young population, and rising global interest in its markets. Yet, pressing challenges threaten to derail progress: climate change devastates communities, unsustainable debt limits growth, and lack of opportunities for youth creates social instability. Africa's steadily growing economic and political relevance in the international community continues to increase. This is also evident at multilateral conferences. In the past year, African players have appeared on the world stage more frequently, more cohesively and more confidently than ever before. The key question: How can African nations harness their strengths, navigate global volatility, address the climate crisis, and unlock the power of their youth to drive sustainable, inclusive growth? #Africa #USA #Summit2024 #BusinessCorporation #Partnership #WinWin

🌍✨ Join Us at the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit! ✨ 🌍📅 Dates: June 4-5, 2024 📍 Locations: Ilsan and Seoul, South Korea 🎯 Theme: "The Future We Make Together: Shared Growth, Sustainability, and Solidarity" Are you ready to explore the future of global collaboration and innovation? The 2024 Korea-Africa Summit is your chance to connect with industry leaders, government officials, and experts from both continents. This summit offers unparalleled networking opportunities, including: Special Events and Forums: Engage in discussions and vision declarations with key stakeholders from Korea and African countries, focusing on sustainable development and cooperation in various sectors. Startup Ecosystem Sessions: Build networks among startup stakeholders, including youth entrepreneurs, accelerators, and investors, and explore success stories of innovative startups in Africa. Infrastructure Forum: Connect with government officials, business leaders, and representatives of financial institutions to discuss key infrastructure sectors and explore investment opportunities. Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to foster collaboration, drive sustainable growth, and build a future of solidarity between Korea and Africa.🔗  Learn more and stay updated: 2024 Korea-Africa SummitLet's come together to shape a brighter, more sustainable future! 🌱🤝 #KoreaAfricaSummit #Sustainability #SharedGrowth #GlobalSolidarity

🌍 iDEA Meets Africa Committee: Empowering Central Africa in the Global Digital Majority 🌍  iDEA members are actively engaging with Africa Committee members to spotlight the immense potential of Africa as a key player in the Global Digital Majority. Africa’s rising influence, innovation, young population, and dynamism are pivotal to shaping the global digital economy.  In a historic step, iDEA is poised to bring international recognition to the region, following successful roadshows in Japan, Hong Kong, Kenya, Luxembourg, India, Japan, Dubai, Malaysia, and Indonesia. With the visionary leadership of our Africa Committee, we envision Central Africa as the next “go-to” hub, fostering cooperation among nations like , Congo Brazzaville 🇨🇬, Gabon 🇬🇦, Cameroon 🇨🇲, Chad 🇹🇩, Guinea 🇬🇳, among others.  Special recognition goes to Congo Brazzaville for championing this effort. By uniting leaders across 12 countries, we aim to build capacity, showcase startups, and invite global investors through strategic side events and panels led by iDEA leaders that are going to take place in Q2 2025! This initiative aligns seamlessly with global partnerships like the G20 in South Africa, BRICS in Brazil in 2025, and collaborations with the core of African organizations representing digital economies — Africa Fintech Network.  A heartfelt thanks to those shaping this vision: Luc JS Missidimbazi, Joëlle Sow, Kagisho Dichabe, Rosemary Koech-Kimwatu, Maria Selten, Dr. Alexander Titov PhD, Oliver N. and Cristina Amor Maclang. Together, we are strengthening Africa’s position in the world’s digital future.  Are you interested in contributing to the Global Digital Majority? Whether you’re looking to participate, sponsor, or collaborate to bring transformative technology to the 80 countries iDEA represents, connect with our secretariat: - Dr. Alexander Titov PhD. - Deputy Secretary General - Oliver N. - Community Officer iDEA Board Members: Dr. Segun Aina , Dr. Jochen Biedermann , Rodrigo Garcia de la Cruz , Paul Li , Chia Hock Lai 谢福来, CFtP, ACLP , Jatinder HANDOO , Cristina Amor Maclang #GlobalDigitalMajority #Africa #CentralAfrica #iDEAImpact #DigitalEconomy #IDEA

Africa's economy is undergoing a rapid transformation, driven by a young, tech-savvy population, rapid urbanization, and growing cross-border collaboration 🌍 These dynamic shifts are opening up new opportunities not just within Africa, but also for international partners like Austria. At the 2025 Africa Day event, the focus was on how Austrian businesses can engage with this rapidly evolving market - from technology and infrastructure to sustainable development. 👉 Check out the megatrends shaping Africa and the innovators driving change. AUSSENWIRTSCHAFT AUSTRIA | #globalconnections #innovations #shapingtheeconomy #africaneconomy #austrianeconomy

💡 Monday Motivation: Innovating for Africa’s Future 🌍 As we start the week, let's remember that innovation is the driving force behind progress. Whether in technology, business, or everyday challenges, new ideas challenge the norm and pave the way for growth. In Africa, Market-Creating Innovation is changing the landscape. Every new product, service, or technology that reaches underserved communities transforms lives and creates opportunities to grow. 🔑 This week, reflect on: - How can you innovate in your role or industry? - What new markets or opportunities can you help create? - How can you contribute to Africa’s journey towards prosperity? Remember, innovation is the key to a brighter, more inclusive future. Let’s embrace forward-thinking, bold moves, and continuous growth this week. The future belongs to those who create it! #MondayMotivation #InnovationForAfrica #MarketCreatingInnovation #TechForGood #AfricaRising #GrowthMindset