The City of Tshwane innovation workshop during the UNISA Innovation Festival 2025 has made it clear that the municipality is prepared to "think differently, plan better and lead boldly" to unlock the full value of local innovation.
Summarising the inputs from the workshop, Dr Lardo, CE of Tshwane Economic Development Fund, notes that while the metro is home to some of the most creative minds and high-growth enterprises on the continent, local government environment had to find explore ways to accommodate the iterative, risk-taking nature of innovation, says TEDA.
The City of Tshwane workshop held on 19 November was the third iteration investigating how to support emerging innovative entrepreneurs on their journey to commercialise their innovations and find strategies to navigate the challenges posed by legislative frameworks such as the Municipal Finance Management Act and the Public Finance Management Act, adds TEDA.
While local government may not be the natural appropriate space for innovation, that should not stop entrepreneurs and officials from innovating, says TEDA.
A Sector Built on Rules Meets a Sector Built on Experimentation
Dr Stander says a recurring theme throughout the workshop was the tension between the rigid, linear systems of municipal administration and the fluid, adaptive processes required for innovation, says TEDA.
"Local government is built on structured discipline, rules and regulatory frameworks," says Dr Stander. "But innovation is iterative. You try, fail, learn and adjust. Local government is not allowed to fail — yet failure is the very bedrock of innovation."
Misalignments in interpretation of legislation, particularly in supply chain rules governing pilot projects, could frustrate innovators who are required to demonstrate value before they are given the opportunity to test and prove it, adds TEDA.
"This is fundamentally unfair," says Dr Stander. "A startup cannot compete on the same footing as an incumbent. We need a consensus on how we interpret rules so that we don't accidentally shut innovators out."
That calls for local government to be innovative in its support of emerging entreprenuers, adds TEDA.
Protecting IP and Rewarding Human Ingenuity
Participants also raises concerns about intellectual property, with innovators often required to disclose specifications to the City, only to see their ideas potentially exposed to competitors during procurement processes, says TEDA.
"We have to find a balance," says Dr Stander. "How do we protect the human ingenuity behind these innovations while still ensuring fairness? Innovators cannot invest years of effort only to have someone else copy and paste their work."
He acknowledged the challenges faced by individual entrepreneurs, citing examples such as innovators who spent years navigating municipal systems. "As a collective government, we have to do better. Time is of the essence, both for innovators and for the problems we must solve."
Money is Not the Issue — Mindset is
Calling for a shift in how cities approach innovation funding, Dr Stander argues that municipalities often accept annual losses in water and electricity revenue, yet hesitate to invest comparatively small sums in new technologies that could address core service challenges. "As an economist, I can tell you money is not our issue," says Dr Stander.
He stresses that private-sector investment would follow government leadership. "Private sector will play its role if government leads. A real signal of seriousness would be for cities to say: 'Let's buy from our innovators'," says Dr Stander. "There are private companies out there looking for innovators, looking for people with passion, looking to take risks that government may not be able to take. Let's connect them."
Expanding the Ecosystem and Shifting the Ratio
Dr Stander calls for greater awareness of the non-financial and financial support available to innovators, saying many still struggle to find the right pathways into the ecosystem, adds TEDA.
He urges innovators to approach the City of Tshwane's innovation office for advice, support, mentorships and partnerships, says TEDA.
As the festival looks to future editions, he challenges organisers to dramatically increase the presence of entrepreneurs, adds TEDA.
"I want to see hundreds of innovators here," he says. "Funding hundreds of innovators gives us one or two unicorns per cycle, and those unicorns drive industrialisation and economic growth."
In closing, Dr Stander thanks Unisa and the City's innovation teams for their energy and commitment, urging all stakeholders to maintain momentum, says TEDA.
"Please keep collaborating. Keep hosting this platform. Let's bring the gatekeepers into the room. Let's make sure we leverage agencies like the Water Research Commission. And let's grow this festival, with a better ratio of innovators to practitioners," concludes Dr Stander.
For more information, visit www.teda.org.za. You can also follow TEDA on Facebook, LinkedIn, or on X.
*Image courtesy of X