A week celebrating innovation and entrepreneurship begins at the East London IDZ Science & Technology Park on Monday — but for those with transport challenges, never fear, much of the event will be hybrid.
Themed “Innovate — commercialise — thrive”, the event aims to cement the Eastern Cape as a growing hub for high-impact innovation, research translation and enterprise development.
Homegrown technologies and investable prototypes will be on display, demonstrating the province’s readiness to compete globally.
The two main highlights are both provincial initiatives aimed at accelerating innovators from concept to investment readiness – the 2025 Eastern Cape Innovation Challenge and the 2025 EC Hackathon Challenge.
Both initiatives attracted innovators who are developing solutions across areas like advanced manufacturing, ICT, renewable energy, agritech, research, business development and market access facilitation.
Last year’s finalists in the 48-Hour Hackathon and the Innovation Pitching Challenge qualify to take part, and all the innovators supported by the ELIDZ-STP since its inception were invited to exhibit their work.
This is a unique opportunity to witness tangible outcomes, economic potential and real-world impact of innovation ecosystems in the province.
The Innovation Challenge is for high-growth strategic sectors like agribusiness, aquaculture, automotive & mobility, the digital economy & ICT, green technology and advanced manufacturing.
The EC Hackathon Challenge, on the other hand, tasks participants with developing digital solutions aligned with themes such as the ELIDZ skills portal, the STP’s interactive app, an AI-powered SMME funding application, and the Eastern Cape Youth information portal.
All categories aim to reflect key priorities in youth services, entrepreneurship support, SMME access and industrial talent development.
- On Monday, after the opening ceremony there are a number of master classes. Sessions include commercialisation, design thinking, cybersecurity, and business compliance.
- The 48-Hour Hackathon occupies Tuesday and Wednesday. This round-the-clock digital innovation challenge addresses industrial and societal needs.
- On Thursday there is an intellectual property & commercialisation workshop. Practical sessions include intellectual property, innovation protection and market pathways.
- On Friday, finalists will pitch their solutions to judges, and the winners will be announced for both the Hackathon and Innovation Pitching Challenge as the jam-packed week culminates in an awards ceremony.
This is a golden opportunity for networking, interacting with innovators, gaining insights from industry experts and witnessing entrepreneurs solving real-world challenges.
For media workers unable to attend in person, the ELIDZ is available for live broadcast crossovers, virtual interviews and in-depth feature engagements with key spokespersons and innovators.
The event is backed by the Technology Innovation Agency, the UN Industrial Development Organization and a number of academic institutions, financial institutions and industry bodies in partnership with the Science and Technology Park.
For inquiries, email Siphosethu Tikana at siphosethuti@elidz.co.za or phone on+27 64 900 8392.
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