NCST develops portal for innovators

National Commission for Science and Technology acting director of technology transfer Isaac Chingota says the establishment of the Innovation Bridging Portal will expose the country’s innovators and researchers to financiers.

Speaking in an interview during the validation meeting of the portal in Blantyre on Thursday, he said the country has seen a rise in the number of innovators but their innovative solutions have not been completed.

He said: “We have seen grass roots innovations in the field of energy and health, but they don’t get to be completed.

“You notice that most of them end at prototype stage. Probably because they lack patience or people who could tell them what they should do next.”

Chingota said the commission will through the portal, track progress of the innovative products that are being developed in the country.

“The industry representatives lamented the quality of the innovative products that we produce, so we are hoping that through this portal we will push each other to develop things that are of quality for us to become a competitive industrialised nation,” he said.

Malawi University of Science and Technology (Must) research fellow Tabitha Nindi Chigwe said she was excited with the initiative.

“Innovation is the key for development. There is a lot that can be done within the portal that will help the innovators, the companies even researchers. It’s an exciting initiative,” she said.

Chigwe said Must stands to benefit from the portal because it has already come up with innovations in energy, information and communications technology and arts.

iMosys Limited operations manager Kumbukani Namanja commended the commission for coming up with a solution that will bridge the gap that has stopped innovators from getting in touch with the industry.

“Funding is a problem when it comes to innovation. Sometimes we come up with something but it never materialises,” he said.