Namibia participates in global business accelerator
STAFF REPORTER
FABlab Namibia and the winners of the 2017 #pitchnightnam competition attended the global impact accelerator at the renowned SLUSH conference in Helsinki, Finland last week.
The event was created to fast-track innovation impact across the globe and gives innovation hubs a chance to present themselves, meet like-minded people and organisations and engage with venture capitalists.
Namibia was represented for the first time ever at the SLUSH this year. This is testimony to the level of innovation and technological developments that has been pursued by the Namibia University of Science and Technology’s (NUST) FABlab.
Kirstin Wiedow, the director and co-founder of FABlab Namibia, as well as David Shatiwa, BDS coordinator from the tangible innovation arm of FABlab, flew the flag for Namibia.
“GIA 2017 brought impact-driven entrepreneurs from emerging markets to Helsinki to accelerate their business, attract additional financing, and build long-lasting networks. This is why it was so great to be able to take our winning innovators along and see and show how they can drive and develop their ideas, meet people with the same dream of entrepreneurship and innovation from around the world,” Wiedow said.
Namibia is being recognised and its star is rising on the global stage as a player contributing to local innovation.
Further proof of this was the two local Namibian start-ups that had the opportunity to accompany Wiedow and Shatiwa to Helsinki, as part of their prize in the #pitchnightnam competition.
The two start-ups were driven by Kaveto Tjatjara, whose innovation assists in providing decent ablution facilities for all Namibians without the need for water connectivity.
The runner-up was Vincent van Wyk with his locally designed low-cost personal computer.
The Slush Global Impact Accelerator (GIA) is a programme created in collaboration with the ministry for foreign affairs of Finland and global partners.
FABlab Namibia and the winners of the 2017 #pitchnightnam competition attended the global impact accelerator at the renowned SLUSH conference in Helsinki, Finland last week.
The event was created to fast-track innovation impact across the globe and gives innovation hubs a chance to present themselves, meet like-minded people and organisations and engage with venture capitalists.
Namibia was represented for the first time ever at the SLUSH this year. This is testimony to the level of innovation and technological developments that has been pursued by the Namibia University of Science and Technology’s (NUST) FABlab.
Kirstin Wiedow, the director and co-founder of FABlab Namibia, as well as David Shatiwa, BDS coordinator from the tangible innovation arm of FABlab, flew the flag for Namibia.
“GIA 2017 brought impact-driven entrepreneurs from emerging markets to Helsinki to accelerate their business, attract additional financing, and build long-lasting networks. This is why it was so great to be able to take our winning innovators along and see and show how they can drive and develop their ideas, meet people with the same dream of entrepreneurship and innovation from around the world,” Wiedow said.
Namibia is being recognised and its star is rising on the global stage as a player contributing to local innovation.
Further proof of this was the two local Namibian start-ups that had the opportunity to accompany Wiedow and Shatiwa to Helsinki, as part of their prize in the #pitchnightnam competition.
The two start-ups were driven by Kaveto Tjatjara, whose innovation assists in providing decent ablution facilities for all Namibians without the need for water connectivity.
The runner-up was Vincent van Wyk with his locally designed low-cost personal computer.
The Slush Global Impact Accelerator (GIA) is a programme created in collaboration with the ministry for foreign affairs of Finland and global partners.
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