Overview:

Botswana Innovation Hub (BIH) is a Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) center located in Gaborone, the capital of Botswana. BIH supports the development of Botswana's economy, knowledge and human resources through innovation, research and development (R&D), entrepreneurship and start-up activities. Through the development of an integrated technology park, training and financing, the hub promotes collaboration and partnership with national and international partners to enhance the skills and capacities of local enterprises and to help them become globally competitive. You can learn history, culture, and heritage through these magnificent monuments in Botswana
Prominent Features:

1. World Class Innovation Center – The Botswana Innovation Hub is home to a world class innovation center providing a platform for ideas, collaborations, and co-innovation projects. It links various stakeholders, such as entrepreneurs, industry, research, education and the government, to drive innovation and technology in Botswana. 2. Technology Park – The Hub also houses a Technology Park which provides physical space, resources and services for technology businesses. The Park covers a range of activities including technology incubation, testing, prototyping and product/service development. 3. FabLab and FabAcademy Program – The Hub also operates a FabLab which provides a platform to support invention and manufacturing. It also runs a FabAcademy program which encourages students to gain practical skills and develop their own digital platforms. 4. Digital Entrepreneurship – Through its Digital Entrepreneurship Program, the Botswana Innovation Hub helps to create an ecosystem conducive to the business development of tech-enabled enterprises. It provides access to funding, resources, and mentorship, as well as technical training and support. 5. e-Learning Platform – The Hub also operates an e-learning platform which provides online access to key business and technology concepts and courses to enable digital capacity building. 6. Maker Faire – The Hub is the host of the annual Maker Faire, the Botswana Innovation Hub’s flagship event. It brings together innovators, makers, and entrepreneurs to showcase their projects, inventions, ideas, and share their experiences and knowledge. This national monument of Botswana portrays the history and culture of the country.

History:

The Botswana Innovation Hub, located in Gaborone, was established in 2007 in response to the country's need for a center of excellence for research, development, and information technology. The Hub was established with the vision to create a globally competitive landscape for the development of new technology businesses throughout Botswana. Since then, the Hub has grown to include: Innovation & Business Incubator, Idea Generation Centers, Innovation Support Services, Talent Development & Capacity Building Services. The Hub has also attracted new investors who provide mentoring and technical assistance to emerging entrepreneurs, and has opened various partnerships with the Government and other key stakeholders in Botswana that support the nation’s technology development needs. In 2013 The Botswana Innovation Hub, in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Skills Development, launched the Botswana Innovation Fund, a venture capital fund focused on facilitating the growth and development of young technology companies. Through the investment fund, the Hub is able to provide funds to entrepreneurs across different sectors and industries. In 2014 the Botswana Innovation Hub inaugurated a Technology Solutions Center at their headquarters in Gaborone, which is designed to link government, academia, and businesses. The Center provides resources to create innovation-driven applications, software, and services dedicated to helping start-up businesses gain access to capital and gain access to technology solutions. The Botswana Innovation Hub also hosts many events and programs such as Botswana Innovation Week, Botswana Ideas Summit, International IT Networking Day, and ICT in Education roundtable discussions. These events and programs are designed to act as a platform for dialogue between stakeholders and to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing. The Botswana Innovation Hub has been successful in inspiring the growth of tech entrepreneurs in the country and in helping the government to meet its national objectives of encouraging creativity and technology development in the country. You must visit one of these historical places in Botswana on your Botswana tour

Interesting facts:

1. The Botswana Innovation Hub (BIH) is the first technology business incubator in Botswana. 2. The Hub is an initiative of the government of Botswana in partnership with the private sector and the University of Botswana, and was officially opened by His Excellency, the President of Botswana in November 2012. 3. The Hub is located in Gaborone, the capital of Botswana, and serves as a hub for technology entrepreneurship and innovation and as a place to facilitate collaboration between technology entrepreneurs, investors, government, students, and academics. 4. Through its tech incubation programs, BIH is committed to building the tech entrepreneurship ecosystem in Botswana and Africa. 5. The Hub provides support to startups in the form of training, mentorship, guidance and networking opportunities to enable their success. 6. BIH is funded by the government of Botswana via the country’s Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry and the University of Botswana. 7. Through its technology incubator, BIH has incubated more than 20 start-ups and has partnered with global tech giants such as Google, SAP, Salesforce and Microsoft. 8. The Hub is also an active participant in the international trade fair and showcase events such as the Africa Tech Summit, DEMO Africa and the Global Entrepreneurship Summit. Visit one of the famous monuments of Botswana with your friends and family.