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Inhlanyelo Hub hosts webinar on unlocking innovation, collaboration and impact

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At the start of Unisa’s academic year, Inhlanyelo Hub NPC hosted a special webinar on entrepreneurial ecosystems. The guest speaker was David Bridges, Vice-President of the Enterprise Innovation Institute (EI2) at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech). Bridges has been at Georgia Tech since 1994 and has extensive experience in economic development programmes. EI2 is the largest, oldest and most successful economic development organisation at any university in the United States.

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Prof Raphael Mpofu, CEO: Inhlanyelo Hub NPC, and David Bridges, Vice-President of the Enterprise Innovation Institute, Georgia Institute of Technology

Bridges has been with Georgia Tech since 1994 and openly shares his knowledge and experiences in grant funding proposals and successes. He is a principal research faculty member, and a frequent lecturer and international keynote speaker on nascent innovation ecosystem building.

The partnership between Inhlanyelo Hub NPC and Georgia Tech started in 2014 and has grown stronger over the years. At the end of 2024, Georgia Tech hosted two participants from Unisa and Inhlanyelo Hub as part of its immersion programme, and plans are under way to host another cohort in April 2025.

The webinar took place in a hybrid format, with some attendees gathering at Unisa’s Sunnyside Campus and others joining online. Prof Raphael Mpofu, CEO of Inhlanyelo Hub NPC, officially welcomed Bridges and reminded attendees that when one wishes others "a happy new year", it implies that something new needs to happen to make it such. He explained that change is often uncomfortable, but always necessary.

During his presentation, Bridges focused on the difference between research for prominence (to gain recognition) and research for impact (to create real-world change). He emphasised the important role that universities play in society. 

David structured his talk around the following elements of entrepreneurial ecosystems: 

  • Who is an entrepreneur? He discussed how some people are born with entrepreneurial skills, while others develop these skills through training and practice.
  • What are the attributes of entrepreneurs? Entrepreneurs need to have an open mindset, courage and a willingness to collaborate. Most importantly, they need "grit" – the determination to keep going despite challenges.
  • What makes entrepreneurs successful? He shared examples of successful entrepreneurs and what drives them to succeed.
  • Why do people become entrepreneurs? Bridges explored the motivations behind entrepreneurship, such as solving problems and creating value.
  • How can ecosystems support entrepreneurs? He stressed the importance of collaboration between universities, start-ups and corporations to maximise the benefits of entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Bridges also shared inspiring success stories from Chile, Slovakia and Puerto Rico, showing how collaboration can lead to impactful results. 

This webinar highlighted the ongoing partnership between Inhlanyelo Hub and Georgia Tech and demonstrated the importance of building strong entrepreneurial ecosystems to drive economic growth. 

Click here for more information on Inhlanyelo Hub and its programmes. 

* Submitted by Inhlanyelo Hub

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Publish date: 2025/01/20

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