In the South African tech landscape much of what is being done has long been centred around the cities of Johannesburg and Cape Town but an upstart innovation hub in the KwaZulu-Natal city of Durban is also putting its hand up.

Open to just about all ages and backgrounds the Invo Tech business incubator, which is based at the Durban University of Technology (DUT), is doing its part to assist the region’s most promising innovators and developers. It’s an important step in creating opportunities for those techies not based in the more traditional powerhouses while developing a culture of startups and innovation.

The initial idea behind the incubator emerged as a result of the DUT winning the Department of Science and Technology’s most innovative New Comer University Award. Officially launched on the 23 August of last year, Invo Tech is working with both students from DUT and outside innovators keen to bring their ideas to fruition.

“We service both the students from the institution and the community at large. Because we are an innovation incubator, we would like to focus more on the business process of the innovation. The university professors help the students with the projects and innovations and take it to a point where there is commercial viability in the project,” explains Deven Reddy, innovation incubation manager at Invo Tech.

Reddy and his team are focused on assisting the members with processes like drawing up a business plan, concept documents, registration of companies and much more. Mentors are arranged while a series of workshops take place teaching the would-be entrepreneurs how to deal with issues such as intellectual property and compliance as well as legal issues.

While Invo Tech is obviously in a unique position to attract the best and brightest for DUT, it is also open to entrepreneurs from outside the university.

“We have a diverse group of clients ranging in age from 18 to 72. We expected more students coming out of university backgrounds and so it shows that universities are producing technologies but we cannot disregard people in the communities who have identified gaps in the market,identified innovative solutions and are converging these into good businesses,” says Reddy.

Prospective clients entering the incubator are required to complete an application.

The Invo Tech Team reviews these applications on a weekly basis and a part of the application process includes a concept document describing the technology or new innovation. If the client is accepted they enter the pipeline and go through the process of developing the prototype, business plan; creating the legal entity and application for funding.

Reddy and Invo Tech are currently in the final stages of refining a new project plan which will see the hub take in 30 new entrepreneurs on a twice-yearly basis. The idea behind the six month course is that a member will enter with an idea or product and then over that time period be assisted through the steps necessary for success.

This will include developing an appropriate business plan while at the same time being assisted with the technical elements of the project thanks to the university’s tech background. “Our focus is more on the business process and so at the end of the project we are expecting to have both a prototype and a bankable business in hand," explains Reddy.

In addition, Invo Tech plans on building out the model along a hub-and-spoke approach with the setting up of so-called centres of excellence. The rationale behind this is simply that innovation centres must be close to the communities in which the innovators are located.

“By default, most innovators will go to a university for support but as the project grows (in scope, scale or development) they need to revert geographically to the community,” says Reddy.

In terms of challenges that the hub faces, Reddy admits that the familiar spectre of funding is one that is ever-present.

“Finance is always a problem especially with technologies and innovations. If you were working in the retail sector, for example, you could probably use one or two thousand rand to kick-start things where with technology you have to get the process started which is expensive, you have to get the correct designs, you have to get the correct materials, production facilities so it is a costly exercise,” continues Reddy.

Invo Tech has created strong relationships with a number of government entities, including the Department of Science and Technology and Department of Trade and Industry, which have enabled some of the entrepreneurs to already source funding.

In terms of relationships with other hubs across South Africa, Invo Tech has already developed links with technology stations and platforms across the various regions and is, according to Reddy, in the process of creating a partnership with the Innovation Hub in
Pretoria.

The rapid strides that technology takes on an almost daily basis and the funding it requires means that partnerships, such as these, between private and public entities will be crucial to continuing innovation.

The partnerships that Invo Tech has already begun cementing will play a key role in not only developing its start-ups but also stimulating the tech industry in Durban and the region at large.

This innovation and business incubator has many unique aspects that make it an exciting and promising institution.

“This is the only Innovation Hub which is embedded within the context of a university of technology. The Durban University of Technology has world renowned scientists, strong sectors of excellence and three technology stations which allow Invo Tech client’s access to highly respected scientists and mentors. These facilities also assist in product improvements; assist with verification and product
testing,” concludes Reddy.

Looking at what Invo Tech has already achieved in a short time coupled with the enthusiasm and talent of its innovators it will not be long before Durban and KwaZulu-Natal is recognised as one of South Africa foremost centres for technology.