Africa-Press – Tanzania. WHILE the Covid-19 pandemic continues to hold the global economy to ransom, Sahara Ventures yesterday launched Sahara Sparks, a week-long platform of activities, in Dar es Salaam, to among other things, discuss the future of doing business.
Sahara Sparks 2021 is themed ‘Future Reimagined’ and seeks to explore how developing economies can adopt innovation, entrepreneurship, and digital transformation to accelerate socio-economic development and help navigate and recover from the crisis.
Sahara Ventures Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr Jumanne Mtambalike, said that it was common knowledge that in the past two years, the world has experienced unprecedented challenges from Covid 19, the coronavirus pandemic.
“The crisis has disrupted the way we used to do things. The so-called “the new normal” is driving tremendous changes in our socio-economic and political issues. It has accelerated digital transformation and the adoption of technology in almost all facets of human life. Things will never be the same, and there is a need to catch up with these developments,” he said.
According to Mr Mtambalike, consistent with the theme ‘Future Reimagined’, the focus for this year’s event seeks to delve into five strategic areas where digital transformation and innovation can play a vital role.
“These areas are Digital Regulation and Smart Governance, Innovation for Development, Corporate Innovation and Future of Work, Emerging and Future Technologies, and Startups Financing. The 2021 event will be held in two parts: the conference for discussions on innovation and digital transformation and the marketplace for startups and investors.
The discussions around startup financing and investment landscape will happen during the marketplace, while the rest of the conversations will occur during the conference, Mtambalike said.
This year’s e event started yesterday and will wrap up on Saturday this week and will attract several prominent speakers from different sectors. In adhering to Covid 19 protocols of managing crowds in meetings and gatherings, the event will have physical and virtual events with physical events that allow a maximum of 50 people.
Sahara Sparks was launched in 2016 to foster transactions and conversations around innovation, technology and entrepreneurship.
Sahara Ventures is a group of companies focusing on building innovation and technology entrepreneurship ecosystems in Africa, and owns the platform. Since its establishment, Sahara Sparks has hosted over 300 high profile speakers, over 7000 attendees, and over 3000 small businesses, startups and SMEs.
Sahara Sparks platform has hosted global, regional and national leaders; senior public and private sector officials; reputed academicians and researchers; investors and change-makers.
Some notable figures who partook in past events include former President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete and the platform’s mission has been to ignite conversations and transactions that accelerate innovation, technology and entrepreneurship as tools for socio-economic development.
On his part, United Nations Development Programme FUNGUO Innovations Programme Manager, Mr Joseph Manirakiza said the need for digital solutions and applied technologies as enablers for breakthrough solutions cannot be overstated.
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