dtic Urges Mpumalanga Entrepreneurs to Tap Innovation Support

The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) has called on small business operators and innovators in Kwaggafontein township, Mpumalanga, to take full advantage of government programmes aimed at supporting enterprise development and commercialisation.

The department hosted a workshop in the township to equip entrepreneurs with information on available financial and non-financial support mechanisms to help them develop and bring innovative solutions to market.

Nationwide Outreach to Empower SMMEs

The workshop forms part of a national outreach series led by the dtic in partnership with key agencies, including the Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency (SEDFA) and the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC).

The initiative is designed to improve awareness of funding instruments, regulatory support, intellectual property protection and enterprise development services available to small businesses and innovators.

R7 Million Support Through KIPP

Deputy Director of Innovation and Technology at the dtic, Patrick Mtsweni, presented on the Khoebo Innovation Promotion Programme (KIPP), a funding instrument aimed at assisting entrepreneurs to commercialise locally developed innovations.

The programme is administered by the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), the dtic's development finance agency.

"The KIPP is designed to promote a competitive economic environment and facilitate economic growth in the South African economy. The support is in the form of subordinated loans and grant funding," Mtsweni said.

Entrepreneurs can access up to R7 million in support under the programme, depending on project needs and eligibility.

Focus on Novel and Incremental Innovation

According to Mtsweni, projects funded under KIPP must involve either:

• A new (novel) innovation, or

• An improved (incremental) innovation

The product or service should address localised or socio-economic challenges while giving the enterprise a sustainable competitive advantage.

"The key objective is to unearth new technologies, create networking platforms for technology development and commercialisation, and promote focused technology development and innovative thinking," he said.

Supporting Grassroots Innovators

Mtsweni emphasised that KIPP is particularly geared toward grassroots innovators who may have developed practical solutions to address community-level problems but lack the capital or technical support to commercialise their ideas.

By linking entrepreneurs to funding, advisory services and intellectual property support, the dtic aims to stimulate township economies, drive innovation-led growth and strengthen small business participation in the broader economy.

Officials encouraged entrepreneurs in Kwaggafontein and surrounding areas to engage with dtic programmes and partner agencies to unlock opportunities for scaling their enterprises.