SA Innovation Week
Main Plenary
Day 1: 18 March 2026
Opening Keynote Address
Igniting the Next Era: South Africa’s Innovation Imperative
Honourable Deputy Minister Nomalungelo Gina: Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation
MANDLA MAGWAZA INTERACTIVE SESSION
PANEL: Tech Sovereignty
Owning South Africa’s Technological Future
Prof. Tulio de Oliveira
Stellenbosch University
HEARScreen
Prof De Wet Swanepoel
University of Pretoria
PANEL: Quadruple Helix in Action
How Industry, Academia, Government and Communities can co-create scale
Rene Parker
RLabs: Co-Founder & Director
Jeffrey Mphahlele
North-West University
Ventures 54 Pitching Session
The Power of Ecosystem Enablers
Building Support Systems for Inclusive Innovation
Rene Parker
RLabs: Co-Founder & Director
PANEL: Early-Stage Investing
Capital, Risk & Readiness
WE THINK CODE
PANEL: Innovation to Industrialisation
Keorapetse Moiloa
Exxaro Resources
Day 2: 19 March 2026
PANEL: Stock take session
Current state of innovation funding
Bakang Tshepo Moetse
Bahale Africa
Nontombi Maseko
Department of Trade, Industry and Competition
Toto Matshediso
Department of Science, Technology and Innovation
PITCHALOT Competition
PANEL: Capital, Markets, and Supply Chains
Lilah Clark
Johannesburg Stock Exchange
Vannie Pillay
Oaktree People Solutions
A-GAME BUSINESS INTERACTIVE SLOT
KK Diaz
A-Game Business
ELIDZ Announcement
High-Tech Pitching
SEDFA FUND OF FUNDS ANNOUNCEMENT
CLOSING KEYNOTE: From Momentum to Mandate
Delivering on South Africa’s Innovation Ambition