Through the engagement, Demola and NUST aim to increase industry-academia collaboration and international connectiveness on the innovation ecosystem in Namibia. The hub will connect local students and companies to global innovation activities, with the intention of contributing and utilizing the global knowledge base of insights about the futures. It will have a significant impact on the vitality of the Namibian innovation ecosystem.

“The High-Tech Transfer Plaza Select (HTTPS) building at NUST is neatly aligned with the mission of Demola Global. HTTPS provides a technologically inspired ecosystem focusing on the university’s creativity and talent. This will enable future innovations that can be taken to market by the industry and deliver benefits to the society”, remarked NUST Vice Chancellor, Dr Erold Naomab at a meeting in Windhoek.

Dr Naomab also stated that the partnership with Demola Global will position NUST as a global gateway, enabling the operationalization of research and innovation value chain and creating immense value for the faculty and students.

“Finland and Namibia have a historical and warm relationship, which provides a solid ground for cooperation. Finnish innovation knowhow is internationally top-level and the Finnish and Namibian universities already have a successful history of collaboration. This background creates a solid basis for a new kind of innovation partnership, as is the case now with Demola and NUST. This is a very welcome initiative that will offer opportunities and benefits, not only to Namibian businesses and startups, but also the global community,” Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade of Finland Mr Ville Skinnari says.

The innovation activities at Demola Namibia Hub will start immediately. In the first phase, students will bring their contributions to future work by joining global innovation teams. In 2023, NUST and Demola Global will open services to bring global knowledge base available for Namibian companies andps to accelerate the development of future-proof strategies and new innovative solutions.

“Our mission is to create global innovation capital that is based on continuous chain of innovation and future projects. This knowledge base is shared and utilized globally among all parties. We warmly welcome NUST as a close member to the Demola alliance and as an active contributor to future innovations. We strongly believe that Namibian students have unlimited opportunities in the international innovation field and a way to stand out”, says Ville Kairamo, CEO of Demola Global.



About Demola:
Demola Global is a Finland-headquartered company with award-winning co-creation and innovation services. Demola facilitates future-oriented innovation projects with international and interdisciplinary teams on a global scale. Since 2011, Demola has facilitated over 5,000 global teams from 1,200 universities around the world. National and regional programs and hubs are established in cooperation with local universities and innovation institutions.

About NUST:
NUST is a leading state-owned science, technology and innovation focused university that is based in Windhoek, Namibia. It boasts a wide range of disciplines and a rich history of imparting technical skills upon its students.

For more information, please contact:

Ville Kairamo 
CEO, Demola Global
+358 40 5667182
ville@demola.net

/

Dr Erold Naomab
Vice-Chancellor
NUST Namibia University of Science and Technology
+264 61 207 2001
enaomab@nust.na