CUT vice chancellor, Prof Henk de Jager; Free State development corporation acting general manager, Peterson Molukanelo; TIA manager: technology stations programme, Grace Baloyi; CUT deputy vice chancellor: research, innovation and engagement, Prof Alfred Ngowi and CUT council chairperson, Matthew Rantso. Photo supplied.
In an effort to enhance entrepreneurship amongst the community around the Central University of Technology (CUT), the university has launched the idea generator hub (iGym).
The iGym is situated on the Bloemfontein Campus at a building that was an old school gymnasium.
The iGym aims to promote, inspire, and enable creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
CUT is a higher education institution that offers courses in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
The iGym will further assist innovative thinkers to take their ideas and turn them into profitable businesses.
The iGym is accessible to employees, students, high school learners, SMEs, and the broader community with ideation and prototyping of new ideas.
“This facility will also serve the broader higher education sector, thus including Technical and Vocational Education and Training Colleges, and Community Education and Training Colleges in the region,” the university said in a statement.
CUT project manager: entrepreneurship development at the department of higher education and training Norah Clarke said entrepreneurship development was important.
“The language we use when we talk about entrepreneurship is often not embraced and recognized in faculties outside of commerce and management sciences. That is why I want to challenge universities to start raising awareness amongst students in some of these atypical entrepreneurship disciplines,” said Clarke.
Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) manager: technology stations programme Grace Baloyi the TIA’s mission is to take the ideas that scientists have and take them to the market, through providing financial and non-financial support.
“We have what we call non-financial support, where we provide platforms or buildings called technology stations where you can walk in as an entrepreneur, as a client as a scientist and say this is my idea how can you help me,” said Baloyi.
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