Research, Innovation and Partnerships at NUST

Day 5 of the NUST Innovation and Entrepreneurship Week 2026 brought the conversation to the human side of innovation, graduates, skills, enterprise and the systems needed to connect learning to opportunity.

Through the UNIICo-create Stakeholder Engagement, universities, government, industry and development partners reflected on how co-creation can strengthen graduate employability and enterprise development.

Delivering the keynote address, Hon. Dino Ballotti, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Education Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture, challenged institutions to think more intentionally about entrepreneurship as part of the student journey. As he noted, “We resource what we prioritise.” He further reminded the room that the goal is not only for students to walk across the graduation stage with a CV, but also with the confidence, skills and tools to create opportunities.

The panel discussion moved this conversation from policy to practice. From industry, Mr John Ekongo, Corporate Affairs Manager at MTC Namibiaamibia, pointed to funding and meaningful work-integrated learning as critical parts of preparing graduates for the world of work. From the student perspective, Mr Jerome !Nanuseb, Namibia University of Science and Technology - NUST SRC President, reminded the room that the challenge is not only academic knowledge, but the transition between the lecture room and the workplace. These reflections brought the purpose of UNIICo-create into sharper focus. Universities cannot only consult industry at the end of the process. They must co-create with industry, government and students from the beginning.

Graduate employability is not created at graduation. It is built through relevant curricula, practical exposure, entrepreneurial thinking, industry participation and stronger institutional partnerships.

Day 4 of the NUST Innovation and Entrepreneurship Week 2026 kept the innovation momentum going through the ALL-4-ONE Challenge Pitch and Awards, with the focus moving to faculty-led, research-driven and discipline-based solutions emerging from across the Namibia University of Science and Technology - NUST.

The pitches reflected the strength of applied knowledge when directed towards real challenges. From GeoAI, online safety and disinformation in flood-related infodemics, to biofertiliser, safer mobility, electric bike battery solutions, cybersecurity, AI-supported STEM learning and smart procurement, the day showed how innovation can take shape across different fields.

What stood out was not only the diversity of ideas, but the intent behind them. Each pitch pointed to a practical question on how knowledge generated within the University can respond to the needs of society, industry, learners, communities and the economy. Congratulations to GreenMashare Biofertiliser from the Faculty of Health, Natural Resources and Applied Sciences, who emerged as the winner of the ALL-4-ONE Challenge and was named the Most Innovative Faculty, walking away with N$100,000.

The ALL-4-ONE Challenge reminded us that innovation is not confined to one faculty, one discipline or one type of solution. It grows when different areas of expertise are brought into conversation and directed towards impact.

The week may pause for the weekend, but the momentum continues. The programme resumes on Monday, 15 June, with the UNIICo-Create Day and SARIMA Open Day. Stay tuned for highlights.

Day 3 of the NUST Innovation and Entrepreneurship Week 2026 moved from ideas and pitches to the systems that help innovation move into use. The Tech Transfer and Commercialisation Master Class explored one of the most important questions in the innovation journey: what happens after an idea, research output, invention or prototype is created?

Facilitated by Dr Douglas Sanyahumbi, Vice-President of the Southern African Research and Innovation Management Association (SARIMA), the session brought depth to the conversation on research and innovation management, intellectual property, technology transfer, commercialisation and venture creation.

Innovation does not end at discovery. For research and ideas to create value, they must be identified, protected where necessary, developed, transferred and applied in ways that respond to real societal, environmental and economic needs. The Master Class unpacked the role of intellectual property, technology transfer offices, licensing, spin-offs, industry collaboration and commercialisation pathways in helping universities move from knowledge generation to market-ready and society-ready impact.

This conversation is central to building an innovation culture, one where research is not only published, but translated, protected where appropriate, and connected to users, communities, industry and national development priorities.

Last night, the High-Tech Transfer Plaza Select (HTTPS) Ecosystem Sundowner brought a different rhythm to the NUST Innovation and Entrepreneurship Week.

Following a full day of student innovation, pitching and awards, the evening shifted the focus from the pitch stage to the people, partnerships and networks that help ideas grow. The Sundowner brought industry and ecosystem partners into the same room to exchange ideas, reflect on connected innovation and explore how partnerships can strengthen Namibia’s innovation landscape.

Innovation does not grow in isolation. It needs the right networks, the right support systems and the right people willing to move from conversation to collaboration. Through the HTTPS Ecosystem Overview, industry partner success stories, the SEA Launch and partner commitments, the evening reminded us that universities are not only centres of knowledge. They are also conveners of people, platforms and possibilities.

An idea may begin in a classroom, lab, workshop or pitch session, but its growth depends on the ecosystem around it.

Day 2 of the NUST Innovation and Entrepreneurship Week 2026 moved ideas from concept to the pitch stage.

A pitch is never just a presentation. It is the point where an idea is asked to prove its relevance. What problem does it respond to? Who experiences that problem? What value does the solution create? Can it be tested, improved and eventually scaled?

Across the different pitches, students demonstrated creativity, discipline and courage. Their ideas reflected an important shift in how innovation is being understood: not as abstract ambition, but as practical problem-solving rooted in real needs, lived experiences and emerging opportunities. From environmental solutions and digital platforms to education, mobility and community-centred innovation, the students showed that Namibia’s innovation pipeline is growing through hard work, experimentation and the willingness to learn through feedback.

Following a competitive pitching session, the top-performing teams were recognised as follows:

Winner: Enviro-Brick Namibia
1st Runner-Up: Zetuweb
2nd Runner-Up: Asmbly
3rd Runner-Up: Eduride
4th Runner-Up: Nitzora

More than the rankings, today was a reminder that innovation takes process. It takes late nights, uncertain drafts, difficult questions, prototype thinking, teamwork and the courage to stand before others and say: this is the problem we see, and this is the solution we are building.

As the week continues, Namibia University of Science and Technology - NUST remains committed to creating spaces where student ideas can be challenged, strengthened and moved closer to real-world impact.

Today, the Namibia University of Science and Technology - NUST officially kicked off the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Week 2026, bringing together students, researchers, innovators and partners around one shared purpose: moving ideas closer to real impact.

The opening session set a tone for the week, with Ms Valerie Garises, Director: Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, delivering welcoming remarks that challenged participants to think beyond innovation as an abstract idea. As she noted, “Ideas must become solutions. Solutions must become products. And products must create value.”

The NUST strategic overview was delivered by Dr Anna Matros-Goreses on behalf of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Partnerships, positioning the week within NUST’s broader commitment to technology-driven innovation, sustainable entrepreneurship and institutional impact.

The programme also featured a dual presentation by Mr Mirza Sagdati, Head of Startup Development at Demola Global, and Mr Ville Kairamo, CEO of Demola Global. Their sessions guided participants through a practical approach to product and startup development, with a focus on problem framing, value propositions, pitch preparation and the discipline of turning early concepts into clearer, testable solutions.

Innovation is not only about having a good idea. It is about understanding the problem, identifying who experiences it, testing the proposed solution and building value that can respond to real needs.

Save the Date | Season 4, Episode 6 | Premiere on 4 June 2026 at 10h00

This episode features Dr Mouyelele Haufiku, Lecturer and recent PhD graduate in Health Science.

Under the theme “Rethinking Elderly Care in Namibia: From Research to Community-Based Solutions,” the conversation explores how Namibia can better respond to the needs of older persons as family-based care systems come under increasing pressure.

The episode unpacks Dr Haufiku’s research on community-based approaches to elderly care, the gaps in current support systems, and how evidence-based solutions can improve dignity, well-being, and quality of life for older persons in Namibia.

The viewing link will be shared ahead of the premiere.