Ideathon 2026: Mechanisms to unlock innovation investment

What would it take to unlock private investment in Western Cape R&D? Government cannot close South Africa's R&D investment gap alone. The private sector must be a bolder co-investor. This second annual Ideathon moves from the mutually reinforcing R&D challenges that Ideathon (2025) surfaced, and turns to the mechanisms that bring the private sector in as a co-investor. We’re going deep on two big ideas: strengthening linkages between academia and industry; and establishing the preconditions for a province-level R&D incentive. We’re aiming to: Bring private sector leaders, investors, incentive holders, funders and ecosystem enablers into one room, for one evidence-informed conversation Showcase research findings from R&D trend analysis, the provincial technology skills landscape, and future readiness, to match decision-making with data Map the pipeline of here-and-now R&D opportunities in the Western Cape, to shape the direction of Provincial Government impact The session concludes over lunch, and a detailed agenda will be shared with confirmed participants. All registrations are reviewed and confirmed by the organisers. Paid parking is available at The Yacht Club or CTICC. This event is hosted by the Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDAT), in partnership with the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) and Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI).