The Harare Institute of Technology hosted the Fourth Edition of the Technovation Expo on Friday 20 September 2019 at the HIT campus in Belvedere, running under the theme "Developing, Incubating, Transferring and Commercialising Technology."
Over 20 high schools and HIT partners from industry and commerce participated in this year’s edition of the Technovation Expo which was broadcast on Capitalk 100.4 FM and Star FM radio stations.
Most pupils who attended this event were inspired by the expo as they learnt about the value and importance of being innovative and entrepreneurial. The companies and organisations were also impressed with the various technologies on display at the various HIT departments and Centres of Excellence.
The Technovation Expo is primarily targeted at industry and commerce, public officials, policy makers, practitioners, research and development institutions as well as high school students. The expo featured exhibitions with research and development outputs from HIT and its partners, as well as information on careers of the future. It also provided a critical interface between the University and its stakeholders from industry and commerce.
The Technovation Expo showcases HIT's research and development outputs including intellectual property such as patents, industrial designs and utility models from HIT. Speaking during a live broadcast on Capitalk 100.4 FM, HIT’s Director for Communications and International Relations, Mr Tinashe Mutema said the expo aims to promote Science, Engineering and Technology as vehicles for national development and wealth creation, create an opportunity for networking and building partnerships, further demonstrate and advance Science, Engineering and Technology (SET). “The Expo also aims raise technological awareness among high school pupils, industry and commerce, provide a platform for identifying research problems and proffering solutions as well as providing information on careers of the future.
“The Expo also provides a platform for a multiplicity of stakeholders in research and development, as well as policy makers to interact, share ideas and motivate each other to proffer solutions to the various technological challenges, while creating an environment for rapid industrialisation and modernisation. It also provides companies/organisations in the science, engineering and technology sector with an opportunity to promote innovation and technoprenuership amongst Zimbabweans as a tool for economic revival and rapid industrialisation; while advancing the STEM initiative by showcasing Careers of the Future,” said Mr Mutema.
HIT successfully hosted the inaugural Technovation Day on Friday 19 June 2015, and the second edition was held the following year on Friday 22 July in partnership with StarFM Radio Station at the Institute campus with over 3000 high school students from across Zimbabwe, and over 20 organizations from industry and commerce in attendance.
In 2016, the event was held under the theme "Disruptive Thinking, Big Ideas", a challenge to Zimbabweans to find innovative solutions to daily problems and create an environment for rapid industrialisation. In 2017 the Technovation Expo was held on Friday 28 July under the theme "Designing the Future."
