SABC Education naming & media partner to 2016 SA Innovation Summit [SPONSORED]

The 2016 SA Innovation Summit is a few days away and once again offers a jam-packed programme designed to ignite and accelerate innovation in every sense. 

“SABC Education is proud to announce this significant naming and media partnership with the SA Innovation Summit. This partnership started already in 2015 and it’s one we are proud to be associated with. The spark has been ignited”, says Danie Swart, Head of SABC Education. “SABC Education is passionate about supporting conversations and action around the integration of innovation projects and policies that will assist innovators,” adds Swart.

The 2016 SABC Education SA Innovation Summit, will be hosted by the City of Ekurhuleni from 21 to 24 September at the Birchwood Hotel and OR Tambo Conference Centre. The Summit brings together the most important players in innovation today; thought-leaders, highly successful (and up-and-coming) entrepreneurs, the most innovative businesses, inventors, government policy-makers, motivational speakers, young innovators, tech whizz kids and more.

The Summit offers the opportunity to see and hear some of the most inspirational innovation speakers live in action. Delegates will have the opportunity to showcase, demonstrate, present, pitch, shop, learn, network, make deals and ultimately, make a difference through innovation. Innovators and corporates will participate in the Pitching Den, which will allow the innovators to pitch their ideas to a wide international audience.

Surekha Singh, Commissioning Editor managing the project on behalf of SABC Education, is thrilled to use multiplatform delivery in sharing all things innovative to inspire a culture of innovators and entrepreneurship in South Africa. “With the high unemployment rate and the despondency from young people, we want to revive internal creativity. This is a great opportunity for SABC viewers and listeners to be educated, inspired and informed about all things relating to innovation. Young minds are creative and need a fresh boost from relevant stakeholders to ignite passion and accelerate social innovation for community and country advancement,” says Singh.

The City of Ekurhuleni is also making a contribution to innovation through establishing Fablabs in Tembisa, Tsakane and Thokoza to drive innovation amongst the youth.  “This strategic partnership with SA Innovation Summit creates a platform to teach, learn and develop new models for thinking about innovation and creating sustainable functional networks across the multi-helix. “With a number of developments taking shape around the Aerotropolis and Digital City transformations, the Summit will ignite the City’s mandate to stimulate innovation, support and discover fledgling talent in Ekurhuleni,” mentions Caiphus Chauke, Head of Department for Economic Development.

“We are excited about this partnership with SABC Education,” says Audrey Verhaeghe, SA Innovation Summit Chairperson. “This partnership helps us to create even more awareness about the innovation opportunities available to South Africans. One of many not-to-be-missed activities to be seen at the Summit is the Market on the Edge, an interactive exhibition and showcase platform intended to make innovation come alive through the senses.”

“We urge South Africans with a passion for innovation to join us at this year’s innovation event-of-the-year. With wonderful partners like SABC Education, it promises to inspire, ignite and accelerate innovative thinking,” concludes Verhaeghe.

Registrations are now open. To book your spot or for more information about the 2016 SABC Education SA Innovation Summit, visit www.innovationsummit.co.za, email info@innovationsummit.co.za or call 082 78 1960.