Page 8 - EngineerIt February 2021

TECHNOLOGY

Five innovative Hustlenomics utilises recycled construction waste to produce bricks
used in the construction of quality and durable homes that replace
backyard shacks. “We are proud of the entrepreneurs who are able
to use waste or otherwise under-utilised products to create new,
trends to boost the innovative and useful products,” says Dr Melamu.

4. Apps, e-commerce and digitisation
Distribution and delivery methods have been enhanced since the start
SA economy in 2021 of lockdown in March 2020. The rise in the use of apps, e-commerce
and digitisation in 2021 is significant. Industries such as retail, tourism
and schooling have started looking at ways to move online.
Restaurants have capitalised on food delivery services using apps and
retail companies have had to move their businesses online, adjusting
lthough the rise of COVID-19 presented many challenges to distribution and delivery methods within their sectors. Educational
our country in 2020, it stimulated the growth of technological Compass, a company housed at The Innovation Hub, has developed
Ainnovations that we can build on to boost the South African an online platform that aims to help all learners achieve and reach
economy this year. their best potential in academia. The company provides tutorial
With climate change being one of the biggest challenges facing services and learner management systems to schools and parents.
humanity, and the use of technology experiencing exponential
growth, Dr Rethabile Melamu, General Manager of Green Economy 5. The efficiency of mobility
and Dr Andrew de Vries, General Manager of Smart Industries at With a focus on efforts to mitigate against impacts of climate change,
The Innovation Hub, have identified five trends that could stimulate green mobility is slowly gaining momentum in South Africa. This is
the growth of South Africa’s economy in 2021 and beyond. any kind of transportation that is eco-friendly, and with less impact on
“In the South African tech space, we are continuously innovating the immediate environment compared to conventional modes of
technologies in a changing environment,” says Dr de Vries. “Last transportation. Specifically, the use of electric vehicles in South
year, however, saw an increase in the pace at which technology Africa is on the rise and could addresses two challenges, namely,
development occurred. We’ve had to adapt and innovate quickly, and mineral beneficiation in the manufacturing of relevant components
the expected trajectory for this year is promising,” he adds. and climate change. In 2021, The Innovation Hub hopes to support
efforts that aid the roll-out of changing infrastructure and support the
The five identified trends are: electric vehicle industry and, with other partners, to explore the
1. Rise of renewable energy localisation of battery manufacturing in South Africa. Innovations in
With the government prioritising programmes such as the Renewable this sector could lead to job creation and ultimately economic growth.
Energy Independent Power Producer Programme to stimulate
economic growth post the Covid-19 pandemic (via the procurement of “We are confident that our scientists and entrepreneurs will be at
locally manufactured small components currently being imported, the forefront of new and exciting innovations that are aligned to
which have been designated for local production), we can expect to these upcoming trends to help grow the South African economy,”
see a significant change in this industry. This will provide says Melamu. n
opportunities to entrepreneurs within the components manufacturing
sector and stimulate the growth of the economy overall. For more information on The Innovation Hub and its business
incubators, please contact Linah Nematandani at
2. Blockchain technologies lnematandani@theinnovationhub.com or visit
Blockchain technology is a system of recording information that www.theinnovationhub.com.
makes it impossible to alter or change. It is a digital ledger of
duplicated and distributed transactions across the entire network of
computer systems on the blockchain. “We potentially foresee
disruptive changes by blockchain technology within different
industries such as energy management, gaming, banking and
payments, cyber security and online data storage,” says Dr de Vries.

3. Building a circular economy
A circular economy is characterised by its resource efficiency along
various value chains in the provision of basic goods and services. For
instance, in the agricultural sector, circularity finds expression in at least
two areas; first, in the minimisation and beneficiation of waste, and
Dr Andrew de Vries Dr Rethabile Melamu
second, in resource efficiency (water and fertiliser) enabled by fourth
industrial revolution technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT).
Two of the companies currently housed at The Innovation Hub
that promote circular economy are DNF and Hustlenomics. DNF
beneficiates recycled crushed glass waste to substitute concrete
based products such as tombstones and table counter tops, whereas

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