Discussion
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KAS Zimbabwe has taken a keen interest in innovation, focusing on business models or strategies that are both novel and useful. Innovation allows adaptability, fosters growth and distinguishes business units from others. One of the trending discussions has been on leveraging technology for business innovation. On the 29th of November 2023 KAS hosted a breakfast meeting to discuss leveraging technology for business innovation. Officially opening the meeting, the KAS Country Director, Mrs Anna Hoffmann-Kwanga reiterated the commitment by KAS to providing platforms for dialogue on key economic policy matters.
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The breakfast meeting aimed at offering a platform for discussion among innovators, students, the business community and policy makers on matters affecting innovators and emerging entrepreneurs. In addition, the meeting sought to examine how technology can be leveraged for business innovation.
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The meeting was anchored by a keynote presentation from Nomaliso Musasiwa who shared her experience as a leading innovator and entrepreneur. She narrated how her company, Fresh in a Box leveraged on technology to build an innovative and large company that is now working with a wide base of producers and consumers. This will be followed by a highlight of a case study of Agrilytics, a leading agricultural technologies company. The presentation was delivered by Patrick Mambo, a Co-Founder of the organisation. Patrick explained that Agrilytics was developed to bridge the gap between Farmers/Agri-Businesses and their technological needs. Their mission is to provide greater visibility to major stakeholders over key processes and metrics, aiding and streamlining farm operations, data capture and enabling precision agriculture. The presentations will be followed by a plenary discussion involving innovators from hubs like the University of Zimbabwe and Stanbic Hubs. The interesting conversations also included financiers like banks and micro lenders who indicated their readiness to support innovative ideas which leverage on technology. The Director of the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI), Sekai Kuvarika noted that, “there is an opportunity to innovate tech entrepreneurs in the companies that they are developing solutions for, this could be something that organisations like CZI could assist by facilitating the necessary matchmaking and linkages.
