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SOUTH-SOUTH AND TRIANGULAR COOPERATION PARTNERSHIPS FOR INNOVATION SUPPORT

- Session 3 -

McLean Sibanda

South-South and Triangular Cooperation for Access to Information and Knowledge, Innovation Support, and

Technology TransferOrganised by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) in

cooperation with the National Institute for the Defense of Competition and Protection of Intellectual Property (INDECOPI) of Peru

Lima, Peru, May 5 and 6, 2015

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Presentation Outline

Introduction

South African Innovation Support Systems

Specific Interventions / Partnerships

BioFISA / SANBIO IPA GAP-Biosciences

Concluding remarks

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IntroductionR&D – not primary source of innovation in Africa

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IntroductionGlobal Share of Research Capacity (2011)

Creativity and Prosperity: Global Creativity Index, Martin Prosperity Institute, January 2011 available at http://martinprosperity.org/2011/10/01/creativity-and-prosperity-the-global-creativity-index/

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IntroductionKnowledge Generation: Patent Applications Per region

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South Africa Innovation Support SystemsKey Milestones

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South Africa Innovation Support SystemsThe Funding Challenge

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Tshumisano Trust, Department of Science and Technology

Strengthen and accelerate interaction between Universities of Technology and Small Medium Entreprises (SMEs)

Technology Stations Services: Technical support to SMEs – technology solutions, services and

training Adaptations and prototypes

South Africa Innovation Support SystemsTechnology Stations as means for supporting

prototyping

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Supporting Innovation in Developing Countries

Major Challenges Poor pipeline: little or no local R&D investment, poor research capacity Lack of enabling Intellectual Property Management Environment

Innovation Chasm Funding Culture Skills

Funding Valley of death - proof of concept funding Risk capital / venture capital funding

Culture Entrepreneurship - incubators, science parks, etc. Education system Failure

Skills: strengthening human capital R&D undertaking skills: exchange programmes (post-doctoral fellows,

secondment of expert personnel, joint appointments, scholarship programmes, Joint supervision of post-graduate students)

Innovation enabling skills (IP Management, commercialisation, investment, etc.)

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Overview Joint support programme of South Africa and Finland to

New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and its SANBio network

Support rollout of the SANBio business plan

Partners South Africa and Finland Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique,

Namibia, Seychelles, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe

Objectives Enable Southern Africa to harness and apply STI to eradicate

poverty and achieve sustainable development Ensure that Southern Africa contributes to the global pool of

scientific knowledge and technological innovations Bring new innovative bioscience-related products to the

market by capitalising on the expertise in the region

Specific Interventions: BioFISA / SANBioFinland–Southern Africa STI Network with focus on Biosciences …

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Implementation Modalities / Activities Joint support programme of South Africa and Finland to New

Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and its SANBio network

Support rollout of the SANBio business plan

Timelines 2009 – 2012

Outcomes R&D pilot projects: mushrooms (> 600 600 small-scale mushroom growers in

Malawi, Namibia and Swaziland) , IKS, traditional medicines, bioinformatics, HIV with focus on microbicides, policy guidelines

Member states biosciences strategies: Study visits, Intellectual Property Management and tech Transfer workshops; Project Management Office training sessions; quarterly newsletter; Brochures and banners

Capacity: Fellowships for Training, small grants for equipment, increased R&D and Institutional linkages in the area of biosciences

Specific Interventions: BioFISA / SANBioFinland–Southern Africa STI Network with focus on Biosciences …

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Challenges Insufficient resources

(staffing of secretariat, additional rounds of funding)

Maintaining focus on the collaborative Hub-Node network model

Demonstration of value for money to funders and results to all stakeholders

Member States buy-in had to be nurtured from scratch

Technical and management capacity

Ensuring inclusiveness of the network

Specific Interventions: BioFISA / SANBioFinland–Southern Africa STI Network with focus on Biosciences …

3 Lessons Learnt Over-ambitious scope: time,

resources and overall scope Stakeholder involvement: limited

consultation and no stakeholder analysis

NEPAD Visibility in SADC region: enhance in order to be successful

Networking opportunities: nurture and strengthen the linkages

Technology Transfer from developed countries to be nuanced

Limited private sector involvement: Public, Private Partnerships (PPPs) should be encouraged

Quarterly reporting found to be excessive

Adequacy of resources: mostly directed at funding the 8 R&D pilot projects - not much emphasis on how to disseminate and replicate experiences (AATF a successful case study)

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Overview Annual innovation competition to identify, highlight and support

African innovations

Partners Zurich-based African Innovation Foundation (AIF) Incubators and science parks in Africa

Objectives Promote and support African ingenuity Celebrate African innovations Support commercialisation of African innovations Promote a culture of innovation within the African continent

Specific Interventions: Innovation Prize for Africa (IPA)

African Solutions to African Problems by Africans … 1

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Implementation Modalities / Activities Competition Workshops Awards event Media and PR campaigns Incubation through partners

Timelines 2012 – 2015 (Cape Town,

Abuja, Morocco)

Challenges Spread of innovations Under-developed national

innovation systems Lack of patient capital

Specific Interventions: Innovation Prize for Africa (IPA)

African Solutions to African Problems by Africans … 2

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Outcomes To date identified > 30

African innovations with commercialisation potential

Some of these in market because of IPA

Next Steps / Outlook Strengthening the

network - national innovation systems

Broadening partnerships – The Innovation Hub (South Africa) (2013), Pfizer (2014), CNBC Africa (2014/15), WIPO (2015)

Specific Interventions: Innovation Prize for Africa (IPA)

African Solutions to African Problems by Africans … 3

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Overview Annual biosciences

entrepreneurship support programme

Partners Emory University (Atlanta,

Georgia, USA) The Innovation Hub (South

Africa) Technology Innovation

Agency (South Africa) Pfizer Inc.

Objectives Business basics to

researchers Develop innovation enabling

skills Identify and support promising

biosciences based ideas

Specific Interventions: GAP-BiosciencesAddressing the innovation chasm … 1

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Implementation Modalities / Activities Year long entrepreneurial and

business development support Executive Education

Programme 4 month intensive mentorship to

develop business plan Business Plan competition with

prize money & incubation

Timelines 2011 - 2015

Challenges Adequacy of funding Investment ready R&D projects Monitoring and Evaluation of

projects not under incubation Limited private sector support

Specific Interventions: GAP-BiosciencesAddressing the innovation chasm … 2

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Outcomes

Specific Interventions: GAP-BiosciencesAddressing the innovation chasm … 3

“The industry knowledge we obtained during our time at Pfizer will definitely be of help to us as we pursue our goal to commercialise Altis’ technologies and products on a global scale. The networking opportunities and contacts we made are invaluable to us ……” (N Pires, Altis Biologics)

“William Looney placed us in contact with Elana Robertson at the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development. A meeting with the Global Alliance was held on 18 September 2014.” (MARTI TB Diagnostics team)

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Concluding Remarks Strengthening of innovation in South-South Collaborations

Increase in global pool of knowledge Tapping into underutilised / nascent talent Increases economic activity and global wellbeing Ensures that developing countries lead in addressing own

challenges

Genuine collaboration essential – all partners must gain

Priorities: STI human capital deficit (R&D and innovation enabling) Increased R&D investment Development oriented IP systems Relevant institutions and institutional frameworks (enabling

systems of innovation)

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Thank You