The Mafikeng Digital Innovation Hub (MDiHub) launched the Living Lab on October 15, 2022, with the goal of raising awareness of what the Living Lab offers among the residents of Mosiane View and the surrounding communities.
The fi¬rst Mahi¬keng Digital Innovation Hub Living Lab's open day attracted a large attendance from the community. The purpose of the open day was to encourage locals to start their own businesses by showcasing emerging technologies and successful entrepreneurs in the community.
“We realised that the main Hub is far, so we are trying to come to communities and we open spaces like this in the community so as people in the surrounding communities like Mosiane View, Lomanyaneng, Majemantsho, Danville, Dihatshwana and other surroundings, be the ones using this place, so that we can give them the services they need, train them, develop their ideas and develop their businesses” said Mr Ndaba, The Chief Executive Officer of the MDiHub.
Their primary goal is to fi¬nd and develop creative solutions that will help communities adapt to the rapidly evolving technological landscape while also generating new business opportunities, future employment opportunities and enhancing productivity and effectiveness in the North West province.
The Hub offers physical in-house services such supplying tenants with offices, reception services, board rooms, team rooms, telephones, internet, PCs and other office equipment. Although they may use the centre’s internal services, virtual clients are responsible for providing their own facilities. They offer assistance to business owners with a variety of operational issues including creating a business strategy, marketing, budgeting, sales and more. Through the Hub's connections to funding organizations and programs that potentially provide funding for the client, it assists entrepreneurs in securing funding to commercialize their innovations. Establishing connections with businesses that can help with marketing, and supports business owners in locating and expanding customers for their product or process.
The successful event had guest speakers like Bonolo Poo from Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) who came to highlight SEDA offerings and Kgosi Kgakololo Mosiane who also highlighted the importance of making changes in the community. “This yard is big, we can build other things in the same yard that will benefi¬t the people of this community. Let us take care of this centre and encourage children to come and learn from this centre”, he said.
The innovators, including Morekolodi Salema Mankuroane, the founder of Mansalema, Molefi¬ Taoana, the founder of Midi Media, Gift Dialwe, the director of Veish Group, Karabo Ramaselo and others shared their experiences with MDiHub and displayed their work to the community.
