Innovation

Finding solutions together
© Bart van Overbeeke

The Netherlands is an innovative and entrepreneurial country. One of the contributing factors is the country’s success in creating a space where business and innovation can thrive together. This is supported by world-class research institutes, supportive R&D tax credits and a number of strategic partnerships between science, industry and government. 

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Dutch team, and defending champions, Nuon prepare for the 2018 Sasol Solar Challenge at the Embassy in Pretoria. The Sasol Solar Challenge is an eight day endurance race through South Africa for solar powered vehicles.
Technology makes our way of life possible. 'Key technologies' such as artificial intelligence, and quantum and biotechnology will radically change the way we learn, innovate, work and produce, and offer opportunities to solve global problems in society. In essence, innovative capacity is the degree to which organizations are capable of delivering new products, services and processes. This all starts with knowledge. 

Social challenges and economic opportunities are two sides of the same coin. Technological development is crucial to solve societal problems such as environmental challenges, climate change, depletion of energy sources and raw materials, and aging. We should not however assume that technology will automatically lead to social progress but instead, proactively focus on the interaction between digitalization and values. Government, the private sector and civil society organizations need to shape and direct the digital society in such a way that greater focus is placed on people and values. Only then can a digital society be created, in which no one is excluded.

SA Virtual Tech week

In June 2021 the Missions organized a Virtual Tech week to facilitate innovative collaboration between Dutch and South African businesses working in the areas of fintech, healthtech, and smart logistics. Over 200 participants from South Africa and the Netherlands engaged in webinars and one-on-one matchmaking sessions to share local challenges, market information and expand their network with new business contacts. 

The Netherlands is an innovative and entrepreneurial country. One of the contributing factors is the country’s success in creating a space where business, innovators, and government can thrive together. Perhaps most importantly, at the heart of the Dutch approach is international collaboration and open, shared innovation. During the week of 22 June 2021 Dutch businesses will be seeking exactly that, collaboration. 

Ambassador Han Peters believes that the “Fourth Industrial Revolution is taking off in South Africa with artificial intelligence, robotics and other technologies holding much potential in all spheres of the economy.” His ambition for SANL Tech week is to “build lasting partnerships to support this development.”

Sebastiaan Messerschmidt, the Dutch Consul General in Cape Town, confirmed that “the Dutch in South Africa are committed to working together with their local counterparts to contribute to South Africa’s vision for new technologies and efficiencies.”

Virtual Tech Mission South Africa - Welcome (b2match.io)

#CoCreateDesign Festival: designing a brave post Covid world

An initiative of the Mission Network of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in South Africa, the #cocreateDESIGN FESTIVAL celebrates and examines the power of design to tackle current socio-economic and environmental challenges within an African context.

The festival is organised in collaboration with the Craft and Design Institute (CDI) and draws on a range of subject experts who have provided guidance and input into form and content.

The festival aims to support South African innovators and entrepreneurs to action solutions to these issues. This year’s festival also aims to take participants on a deep dive into the major fault lines in South Africa, which have been exposed by the impact of Covid-19.

Private sector businesses, communities, designers, thinkers, do-ers, visionaries and policymakers from across the country and beyond are invited to participate in this collaborative public event. The ‘unconference’ style of this year’s festival allows for small physical gatherings and site visits, online conversations, and facilitated design thinking sprints, all aimed at supporting local innovators to start to bed down their ideas.