THE French Embassy in Tanzania has injected a grant of 570,000 euros, equivalent to 1.4bn/- to support higher education students and lecturers, among others in boosting innovation and entrepreneurship within the country.
Such initiative is expected to reach over 300 beneficiaries through the 'Innoversity Project - The Next Phase of Academic Entrepreneurship in Tanzania' with a focus of developing an enabling environment for innovation and entrepreneurship in three universities for two years.
The universities include Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) in Morogoro, Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST) in Arusha and the University of Iringa (UoI) in Iringa.
France Ambassador to Tanzania, MrNabil Hajlaoui, made the revelation during the launch of the 'Innoversity Project'in Dar es Salaam yesterday, noting that the project aims to support the above groups to integrate innovation and entrepreneurial approaches beyond academics and research.
"The move will help address the skills gaps, devise technological solutions and create employment opportunities for youths, taking into account the huge innovation potential which exists in the country," said Ambassador Hajlaoui.
He pointed out that the move is in line with the recent visit of President Samia Suluhu Hassan at the entrepreneurship empowerment centre known as Station F Start Up facility in Paris, France; she underscored the commitment to further promote the area through knowledge sharing.
Similarly, the project aims to strengthen institutional and material capacity of higher education institutions, supporting student's entrepreneurship journey and promoting entrepreneurship for employment.
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Ambassador Hajlaoui disclosed that the project will also equip the target groups with skills which will bring about smart innovative solutions which can compete in the emerging tech-world, citing an example of agro-solutions to support food storage systems which in turn curb hunger.
For his part the Director of Knowledge Management at the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH), Mr Samson Mwela, revealed that the Innoversity Project is complementing the existing government efforts to equip universities with knowledge, tools and promoting resource including innovation, self-employment and entrepreneurship skills.
"The project is also in support of the execution of the third National Five Year Development Plan (FYDP) which envisioned using innovation, science and technology to boost the development and economy of the country," stated MrMwela.
He, however, indicated that the project will be working with both on-campus innovation hubs and technology transfer offices to encourage innovation, entrepreneurship, technology transfer and research commercialization to create new solutions and employment.
The Chief Executive Officer of Sahara Ventures, MrJumanneMtambalike, the implementing partners in the project stressed that the project comes at an opportune time when the government commitment towards innovation, science and technology is very high.
He said that Sahara Ventures will be a set of criteria which will enable eligibility of the suitable beneficiaries, citing that their innovation hub will be in charge of leading the project and strengthening capacities of the three universities.
