Staff Reporter
Government is calling for streamlined licensing processes to allow local innovations to enter the market more efficiently, highlighting the critical role of homegrown solutions in driving national development.
This message was strongly echoed during the official proceedings of the 6th Edition of the University of Zimbabwe Research, Innovation and Industrialisation week, where innovation showcases rose to a record 113, up from fewer than 100 in previous editions.
Among the standout exhibits was a new pharmaceutical start-up focused on domestic drug manufacturing, an achievement hailed as transformative for Zimbabwe’s public health system and economic resilience.
In an interview with the media, yesterday, University of Zimbabwe Vice Chancellor, Professor Paul Mapfumo, emphasized the institution’s alignment with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s vision of translating academic research into commercial ventures.
“This is the year of commercialisation, as directed by President Mnangagwa. The start-ups launched here are viable and can attract real investment to scale into full commercial operations,” said Prof Mapfumo.
Government officials who toured the university’s innovation centres praised the ongoing work but stressed the need to reform regulatory systems that often delay or restrict innovation roll-out.
Minister of Skills Audit and Development, Professor Paul Mavima, called for a more balanced approach to regulation.
“We want to ensure that the process of granting market entry authority is streamlined. Regulatory frameworks must be effective, but not restrictive. What we’ve seen here is impressive—a state-of-the-art lab equipped with the latest technology, some of which was supported by the French Embassy,” he said.
The event also marked the unveiling of a cutting-edge Biotechnology Laboratory for diagnosing animal diseases, developed in collaboration with French research institute CIRAD. The lab will strengthen Zimbabwe’s ability to detect zoonotic diseases, illnesses that affect both animals and humans, bolstering national health security and livestock management.
French Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Paul Bertrand Barets, reaffirmed his country’s commitment to scientific partnership.
“Scientific cooperation is a pillar of our bilateral relationship. This biomolecular lab enhances local capabilities in detecting zoonotic diseases, which is vital for both economic stability and public health,” he explained.
Beyond the medical sector, the exhibition featured innovations in renewable energy, agritech, digital technologies, and biotechnology, underscoring the growing diversity of Zimbabwe’s innovation landscape.
Held under the theme “From Innovation Hubs to Commercial Markets: Building Zimbabwe’s Economic Pathway”, the event reaffirmed the critical role of policy reform, investment, and international collaboration in advancing Zimbabwe’s innovation-led development agenda.
