Staff Reporter
President Mnangagwa has urged the private sector to tap on the inherent potential growth within the country premised on the youth dividend by partnering Innovation Hubs and Industrial parks domiciled in the country’s State Universities.
The President was speaking during the official opening of the CEOs Roundtable earlier today in Victoria Falls.
President Mnangagwa said innovation hubs and industrial parks have great potential of stimulating new industries.
He said Government was doings its best to fund the hubs and parks, a move that has kept tertiary students away from engaging in illegal demonstrations.
“As you are aware, my Government adopted the Heritage Based Education 5.0 model which has seen the production of goods and services through science technology and innovation. As a nation let us deliberate and focus towards developing a critical mass of scientists and inventors who can enhance industrial production and productivity as well as help accelerate the adoption of a digital economy.
“The associated innovation and industrial parks have the potential of stimulating vibrant new industries in our nation, while the Research and Development outcomes can have far reaching impacts on your business as the private sector,” President Mnangagwa said.
He added: “Our young talented learners have developed startups, products and services which you in the private sector must partner and support. Ground breaking innovations, digital solutions and startups require your partnerships. In this regard, we must be action oriented.
“I therefore invite stakeholders in industry and commerce to visit our state universities such as the Harare Institute of Technology (HIT), Bindura University of Science Education (BUSE), University of Zimbabwe and Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT), among others.”
President Mnangagwa went on to narrate how some students at BUSE had undertaken research around the masawu fruit and produced patents that assisted them manufacture various types of fruit juice as well as oils.
