Innovation Workshop in Limpopo to Boost Township and Rural Tech Development

“Innovation has a direct link to economic growth and development, and there is a direct correlation between innovative countries and industrialised countries,” Ramuthaga explained.

In a strategic effort to unlock the innovation potential hidden within South Africa’s townships and rural communities, the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic), in collaboration with the Vhembe District Municipality and the University of Venda (UNIVEN), will host an innovation workshop this Thursday at the UNIVEN campus in Thohoyandou, Limpopo. The Vhembe Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) College will also be a co-host, ensuring wide stakeholder participation from the local education and development sectors.

This initiative forms part of the dtic’s broader mandate to empower South African innovators by supporting them through the stages of ideation, prototype development, intellectual property (IP) protection, and eventual commercialisation. The workshop is targeted specifically at entrepreneurs, innovators, and small enterprises in underdeveloped regions, especially within rural and township areas, where resources are scarce but creativity and potential are abundant.

Unearthing Hidden Technologies and Local Talent

The key goal of the workshop is to create a platform for innovators in the Vhembe district to present their ideas and interact with key stakeholders who can support the growth of those ideas into viable business ventures. According to Takalani Ramuthaga, Acting Chief Director of Operations in the Investment and Spatial Industrial Development branch at the dtic, innovation plays a critical role in driving economic growth and development. She noted that there is a direct link between innovation capacity and the level of industrialisation in any country.

“Innovation has a direct link to economic growth and development, and there is a direct correlation between innovative countries and industrialised countries,” Ramuthaga explained.

Promoting Inclusive Economic Participation

The workshop aims to serve as a catalyst for inclusive development by reaching innovators often left out of formal innovation ecosystems. By engaging directly with individuals and start-ups in rural and township settings, the dtic hopes to stimulate grassroots-level economic activity. The event will also feature key presentations and information sessions on several government support initiatives designed to foster innovation and enterprise development.

Key among these is the Khoebo Innovation Promotion Programme (KIPP), a dtic-led initiative aimed at invigorating township and rural economies. KIPP provides support to Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) and start-ups operating in often overlooked communities. According to Ramuthaga, the programme is designed not in isolation but in synergy with other initiatives, such as the Support Programme for Industrial Innovation (SPII), which acts as a feeder into the KIPP pipeline by supporting the early-stage development of industrial innovations.

Sectoral Focus on Agro-Processing and Manufacturing

Given Limpopo’s economic reliance on agriculture, the workshop will also highlight available incentives in agro-processing and manufacturing — sectors with strong potential to create local value chains and employment. Entrepreneurs working on agricultural innovations will benefit from tailored information on how to access government support and funding.

Ramuthaga emphasised that much of the innovation in rural areas is born out of necessity and practical problem-solving, even in the absence of traditional infrastructure or support. She highlighted the importance of government intervention in these communities to provide funding, exposure, and connections to larger innovation networks.

Building Innovation Networks and Bridging Policy Gaps

In addition to disseminating information, the workshop seeks to identify systemic gaps in existing innovation support programmes. Many innovations in townships and rural areas remain unrecognised or unsupported due to limitations in existing policies and strategies. Ramuthaga hopes the workshop will serve as a listening post to understand where these policies fall short and how they can be adapted to address grassroots innovation.

“There is valuable knowledge that exists in townships and rural areas where there is mainly no infrastructure and services. To add value to such knowledge, government intervention is needed in the form of funding, exposure and forming linkages with the existing instruments,” she stated.

Stakeholders and Presenters

Participants will benefit from a comprehensive lineup of speakers and representatives from:

• The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic)

• The Department of Small Business Development

• The Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA)

• The Small Enterprise Finance Agency (SEFA)

• The Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC)

• The University of Venda (UNIVEN)

• Vhembe District Municipality

• Vhembe TVET College

• Other innovation support entities

These stakeholders will share insights into their respective products, services, and funding instruments available to local innovators. The event is expected to foster critical linkages between innovation actors in government, academia, business, and civil society.

By identifying promising innovations and offering the tools to help them scale, the workshop is poised to serve as a key step toward decentralising innovation and creating a more inclusive South African economy driven by homegrown solutions.