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PHUTI MOSOMANE
TELKOM and Wits University on Thursday signed a partnership agreement to establish a research and development (R&D) lab to bring key industry solutions.
The Telkom Industry Solutions Laboratory was described by the partners as a commercial research and development facility dedicated to accelerating synergistic collaboration between industry and academia.
Bringing together multi-disciplinary teams from Wits and Telkom Group, it is expected to pave the way for state-of-the-art innovations in telecommunications and the development of transformative digital solutions for various industries.
BCX CEO Jonas Bogoshi, on behalf of the Telkom Group, and the vice-chancellor and principal of Wits University, Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, signed the agreement at the launch of the venture on Thursday.
“We are excited to sign the strategic agreement that puts this partnership with Wits into effect. We see the Lab as a platform to translate academic research into commercially viable and socially impactful solutions,” said Bogoshi on behalf of Telkom Group.
The Lab is the first industry solutions lab to join the newly established Wits Innovation Centre (WIC) where brilliant minds from various disciplines converge to ideate, research, collaborate, and support innovation, from the initial stages to entrepreneurship and commercialisation.
“The WIC is the epicentre of our innovation ecosystem at Wits where we harness a wellspring of diverse expertise and talent to solve complex, real-world problems. Collaboration in innovation is key and we are excited to see the cutting-edge solutions that will emerge from the Telkom Industry Solutions Lab,” said Vilakazi.
The Lab is a key strategic initiative aimed at supporting innovation within the Telkom Group.
It is also the latest in Telkom’s longstanding tradition of forging partnerships with South African universities, said Telkom Group Executive for Innovation and Transformation, Dr Mmaki Jantjies.
“Globally, many of the most transformative inventions have been developed through innovation partnerships between industry leaders in technology and research-intensive universities,” she explains. “Similarly, this partnership with Wits aims to foster an ecosystem where creativity and collaboration will flourish – leveraging the combined expertise and resources of the Telkom Group and the University,” said Jantjies.
Projects will span industry products and solutions, applied research for specific industries, disruptive innovation driven by local challenges, advanced technology solutions, and industry-led fundamental science and engineering.
The Telkom Industry Solutions Lab will be led by a team of Telkom and Wits research and innovation leaders: Dr Maletsabisa Molapo, Executive for Research and Innovation at Telkom, and Letlotlo Phohole, Senior Programme Manager of the Wits Innovation Centre.
(Group photo from left to right)
o Letlotlo Phohole, Senior Programme Manager: Wits Innovation Centre (WIC)
o Jonas Bogoshi, BCX CEO (on behalf of the Telkom Group)
o Professor Lynn Morris, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Innovation, Wits University
o Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, Vice-Chancellor and Principal,Wits University
o Dr Mmaki Jantjies, Group Executive: Innovation and Transformation: Telkom
o Professor Barry Dwolatzky, Director for Innovation Strategy, Wits University
o Dr Adam Pantanowitz, Director of the Wits Innovation Centre (WIC)
o Dr Maletsabisa Molapo, Executive for Research and Innovation, Telkom
o Lesiba Maloba, Gyro Group CEO
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