Africa-Press – Mauritius. The award ceremony of the National Innovator Hall of Fame, organised by the Ministry of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation in collaboration with the Mauritius Research and Innovation Council (MRIC), was held, on Saturday 3 June 2023, at Le Meridien Hotel, in Pointe Aux Piments.
The Minister of Information, Technology, Communication and Innovation, Mr Darsanand Balgobin; the Chairperson of the MRIC, Dr Kaviraj Sukon; the Executive Director of the MRIC, Professor Teeshan Bahorun; and other eminent personalities were present on the occasion.
In his address, Minister Balgobin highlighted that the award ceremony was dedicated to all those who came out in their innovative drive during the past few years in the local creative landscape and to celebrate their audacity to challenge the norms as well as their dedication to pushing the boundaries of what was possible and to create a positive impact.
“It is through innovation that we find solutions to even the most complex problems, improve our lives, and create a better future for generations to come,” he pointed out.
Mr Balgobin stressed that Government was taking a holistic approach towards innovation by considering all possible aspects of the ecosystem. Through this award ceremony, the Minister indicated that Mauritian ingenuity and indigenous talent were being valorised and recognised.
“This has been materialised with the funding, grants, and initiatives of the Government, through my Ministry and the MRIC,” he stated.
On this note, Minister Balgobin dwelt on some initiatives linked to research and innovation, including continuous collaboration with international organisations to further enhance knowledge and experience in Space Technology; the holdings of Les Assises de la Recherche et de l’Innovation last year; the completion of the National Research and Innovation Roadmap; and the organisation of RodInov in Rodrigues to encourage an innovation culture there.
Finally, Minister Balgobin lauded all those who participated in the competition, adding that through their innovative ideas, they were making a difference in the future of the country and would certainly inspire other innovators.
The National Innovator Hall of Fame The National Innovator Hall of Fame has been developed to recognise and reward the contribution of local innovators in sprouting development.
The objectives of the National Innovator Hall of Fame are to, namely: recognise and reward local outstanding innovators; fuel innovation and creativity among the local people; gauge the level of innovation and creativity in the Republic of Mauritius; and catalyse the innovation culture in the younger generation.
The competition was divided into five categories: Corporate; Small and Medium Enterprise (SME); Individual; Public Organisation; and Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO).
A total of 53 valid applications was received. For each category, the cash prize for the winner was Rs 50,000, and for the runner-up, Rs 25,000. A Special Innovator Prize was also awarded for Rodrigues and Agalega where the cash prize for the winner was Rs 30,000 and Rs 20,000 for the runner-up.
The winners are as follows: Best Innovator – SME Winner – Chiron Biometric Consulting Runner-up – Flo Mobility Services Ltd / Island Communications Ltd
Best Innovator – Public Organisation Winner – Ministry of National Infrastructure and Community Development Runner-up – Université des Mascareignes Best Innovator – NGO
Winner – Société pour la Promotion des Entreprises Specialisées Ltd Runner-up – Women of Wonders Best Innovator – Individual Winner – Mr Jilanee Saleem Thupsee Runner-up – Mr Noor Abdurrahman Noor-Ul-Haqq Gurib Special Jury’s Award Mr Yuvraj Seegolam Best Innovator – Rodrigues Mr Marsel Herbert Poinen
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