‘Big dreamers’ get business chance
Research and development laboratory opens
A NEW research and development laboratory providing wide-ranging assistance to small businesses has been opened in Port Elizabeth. It is part of the Small Enterprise Development Agency’s Nelson Mandela Bay ICT Incubator (SNII) project at its Newton Park technology office business park.
Agency management said the aim was for the facility to help small businesses design and develop apps and software solutions, as well as electronic and mechanical device prototypes.
SNII enterprise development manager Scott Zambonini said that the launch this week of the centre was a giant step forward for sustainable SMME development in the ICT sector in Nelson Mandela Bay.
“If you have always dreamed of a new app or had an idea for a technology product or service, the R&D Lab will help to develop a concept into something concrete,” Zambonini said.
The lab would also help small businesses wishing to own the intellectual property and patents on what they had developed.
Zambonini said one of the main advantages of the R&D lab would be in turning technology ideas and concepts into concrete solutions “with major cost and timesaving benefits”.
“The SNII R&D Lab offers access to integrated technologies, specialist resources and development support which will enable tech entrepreneurs and small businesses to design, visualise and create prototypes,” he said.
In addition, companies with existing technology-based solutions or products would be able to use the lab as a facility for upgrading, expanding and further evolving products and services.
The lab staff would have a team of development experts, including programmers literate in a variety of major design programming languages.
These would include Javascript, C#, Android Development, Google APIs, SQL, SQLite, MySQL, Python, F#, Matlab and HTML.
“The R&D Lab is envisioned as the city’s technology innovation epicentre,” Zambonini said.
It would improve technological innovation in sectors of Nelson Mandela Bay’s regional economy, including automotive, manufacturing agro-processing, renewable energy and green technology, as well as in the maritime economy sectors.
“The R&D Lab is first and foremost a resource for big dreamers and innovators from a small business grassroots level,” Zambonini said.
The lab would also offer the private sector a way to invest, support and show a return in BBBEE enterprise development and skills development.
“Through the lab, corporates and development agencies will be able to allocate financial and non-financial resources to entrepreneurs and high-potential enterprises,” he said.
