TechnovationSocial – Accelerating Growth And Innovation In Namibia’s Cultural And Creative Industry

By:Staff writer
The second edition of the TechnovationSocial, organised by the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB), took place in Windhoek on Friday
The TechnovationSocial is an intervention aimed to drive the transformation of Namibia’s cultural and creative industry.
TechnovationSocial is a biennial initiative that exists to unlock the entrepreneurial potential of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) within the cultural and creative industry (CCI).
Namibia’s CCI has historically been under–appreciated and under–supported, notwithstanding its vast potential. Acknowledging the significant impact the creative sector can have in elevating the Namibian brand globally, TechnovationSocial has been established to propel Namibian MSMEs onto the world stage, increase awareness about opportunities within the industry, and unlock revenue–generating possibilities. This is in line with the NIPDB’s strategic objective to develop an enabling MSME ecosystem through initiatives that catalyse access to markets and funding opportunities, amongst others.
The event featured 48 MSME exhibitors representing 12 sub–sectors, including new media and graphic design, fashion design, architecture, technology, software development, game development, pottery, textile manufacturing, music and performing arts, cosmetology, and filmmaking, among others.
At the event, 12 innovative MSMEs were selected and awarded the opportunity to showcase their offering and pitch to international investors at the Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) Summit to be held on the sidelines of the Intra–Africa Trade Fair (IATF) 2023 scheduled for November in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
The CANEX Summit unites creatives from across the continent and beyond, offering a platform for industry visionaries to display their work, collaborate, and forge connections with key decision-makers, influential investors, financial experts, and fellow creative professionals. With a stellar lineup of leading brands, artists, musicians, producers, and distributors, CANEX at IATF2023 is poised to become the biggest assembly of creative talent in Africa for the year.