When South Africa hosted Swiss high level delegation led by Prof Martina Hirayama, State Secretary for Education, Research and Innovation at NRF on September 25

South Africa has deepened its longstanding research relationship with Switzerland through a newly signed three-year agreement designed to fast-track innovation, entrepreneurship, and commercialisation across key technology sectors.

The partnership brings together South Africa’s Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) and the National Research Foundation (NRF) with Switzerland’s Leading House Africa, supported by the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute and the University of Basel. Together, the organisations have committed to co-funding joint projects that move beyond academic collaboration to tangible technology transfer and market-ready solutions.

Switzerland, ranked the world’s most innovative economy by the Global Innovation Index, has maintained bilateral research ties with South Africa since 2007. Past collaborations between the NRF and the Swiss National Science Foundation have supported fundamental research, while TIA has worked to bridge the gap between laboratories and industry. TIA’s track record with corporate partners, including ABB, highlights its role in steering research towards industrial application.

The new programme marks an evolution of this collaboration. It builds on successful joint initiatives such as the Blockchain Challenge Call and Cleantech Challenge, which connected South African startups with Swiss fintech and clean technology ecosystems. These pilots demonstrated not only scientific cooperation but also commercial potential, nurturing South African entrepreneurs with access to global markets.

“The agreement reflects our strategy of internationalisation,” said TIA partnerships and business development GM Tandokazi Nquma-Moyo. “Cross-border co-investments allow us to leverage global resources while positioning South African innovation for global trade and market access.”

For Swiss partners, the collaboration is an opportunity to translate scientific excellence into international impact. “The new agreement offers great opportunities to further strengthen partnerships and ensure science’s impact makes a difference,” said Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute director Jürg Utzinger.

Unlike earlier frameworks that were research-focused, the latest initiative has a sharper entrepreneurial edge. The partners have agreed to channel resources into projects in clean technology, blockchain, and digital innovation with the explicit goal of scaling ideas into products, businesses, and sustainable industries.

Analysts say the timing is significant. As South Africa pushes to diversify its economy and invest in knowledge industries, international partnerships could help accelerate innovation ecosystems at home. Access to Swiss expertise and funding networks may also improve the survival and competitiveness of South African startups navigating global markets.

By bridging research and industry, both countries aim to ensure that joint science does not remain confined to academia but drives economic growth and solutions to shared challenges. For South Africa, the partnership signals a deliberate step toward positioning itself as a hub of African innovation with global reach.

 

Article by Jed Mwangi

Photo/NRF

https://www.nrf.ac.za/nrf-hosts-swiss-state-secretary-for-education-research-and-innovation/