1. SANSA- ADS Open innovation Challenge Imraan Saloojee AFriGEOSS Symposium 28/04/2016, Victoria Falls

2. Executive Summary Key Takeaways
SANSA are interested in increasing the use of earth observation data for decision making, in both the public and private sphere, within South Africa.
Experiment with Open Innovation
Possible approach to engaging industry, particularly SMME sector for innovative applications of EO
Identified 29 novel concepts through the OI process
Provided basic business incubation support to 21 different organisations and 40+ individuals
Diverse range of organisations, industries and sectors supported
Ongoing project (concluding in May 2016)

3. How a typical open innovation process works
Organisational or industry need is defined
Approaches the innovation community
Broadcast the challenge to a large network of innovators
60%
25% 2% 8% 1%
Community submit proposals 1 2 3
WINNER IS SELECTED

4. A highly structured business support process was followed
Open market
OI Challenge
Validation
Pitching
Support
Many organisations are exploring opportunities in the EO space; need to build awareness of what SANSA as a public entity has to offer
An Open Innovation process facilitated the introduction of SANSA to 29 potential industry entrants
A structured support process assists entrants to validate their ideas – and hence discard non-viable options
New ventures pitch their ideas through a World Café to potential investors, customers and stakeholders
Financial and non-financial support is given to selected new ventures to facilitate market success

5. Solutions were identified from all sectors of the economy
Several hundred groups were contacted through the open innovation campaign process
OI Campaign took place during November – a bad time for most universities in South Africa (#FeesMustFall, University exams)
Numerous concepts and requests for data were received from the public sector (20%)
Large industry players represented around 40% of submissions – generally large firms wishing to create new products and services
SMMEs and individuals formed the remaining 40% of submissions – true ‘start-ups’
Large contingent of ‘youth’ submissions (i.e. <35 years old)
Telephone calls: 132 (108)
Bulk
Targeted (488)
Public workshop: >100
Breakdown of respondents by type of organisation
Startup 11
Industry 11
Public Sector 6

6. Overview of startup proposals
Netbrain
Middleware solution to deliver GIS data
Protek Advanced Sys.
Implementation of anti-poaching technology
Zaron (I)
Web application to determine viability of household Solar PV
IntegriSense
Cloud-based GIS marketplace
Hulalup
Middleware solution to deliver GIS data
Zaron (II)
Web application to determine population growth dynamics
Mobbisurance
EO data as proxy for smallholder agricultural insurance
Cognitive Systems
Development of big data analysis tools
Zaron (III)
Historical analysis of solar water heater usage in SA
Africa Geo Data
Development of SA geography games using landscape info
SME Link
Infrastructure auditing for municipalities
Anthony Chauke
Use of GPS information to locate consumer items

7. Overview of industry proposals
SMC Synergy
Improve environmental planning for water catchment area
GIS Cape Town
Identification of mineral resources to drive development
Tata Consulting (II)
Analysis of socio-ecological impact due to urban change
Metagrated
Improved migration control systems
Mosaic Analytics
Provision of GIS to private clients
Umvoto Africa
Identification of water resources for remote solar power facilities
My Smart Farm
Inclusion of GIS data for improved farming techniques
SRK Consulting
Analysis of tailings dam water losses for mining industry
Oxford Uni. Press
Use of EO data to improve Geography education in SA
Quartex
Provision of time-based data sets for urban planning
Tata Consulting (I)
Determination of demographic changes for urban planning

8. Overview of public sector proposals
UKZN
Analysis of tropospheric moisture for telecommunications
DWAF
Improved environmental data
ACDS
Improve risk information for disaster management activities
NICD
Vector mapping of bilharzia risk across South Africa
UNISA
Analysis of environmental responses to climate change
SAGI
Provision of historical infrastructure auditing data

9. National Institute for Communicable Diseases Mapping schistosomiasis (bilharzia) risk at community level in South Africa, using earth observation data

10. The final step connect developers to potential investors
A World Café approach is being used to facilitate conversations between solution proposers and various stakeholders
The approach is specifically chosen to promote relationship building – something that does not happen in traditional ‘pitching competitions’
World Café delegates are nominated directly by interested parties, with sponsoring organisations helping to encourage participation

11. Thank you!