Independent
Vendor-neutral and non-partisan. Positions are taken on the merits and published with the reasoning behind them.
Mandate
What the Council is for
Convene
Six constituencies in structured working contact, not occasional conference contact.
Represent
One evidence-based industry position in front of regulators, departments and international bodies.
Enable
Market access, skills pathways and investment routes members cannot build alone.
To grow the Southern African technology economy by connecting the people who make it work, and to represent that economy credibly wherever decisions about it are taken.
In practice that means three things: convening, representing and enabling — each with a working group, a deliverable and a date attached.
The Council is not a vendor, a fund or a lobby for any one company. It does not bid for the work its members bid for.
Vision
A connected, competitive and globally integrated Southern African technology economy, driving sustainable economic and social value.
Mission
To connect the people, organisations, capital, knowledge and markets that drive technology and innovation; to influence policy; to facilitate commercialisation and investment; to develop future capabilities; and to position Southern Africa globally.
Governance architecture
Independent. Balanced. Accountable.
No one constituency dominates. All contribute.
Seven structures, each with a defined remit: a board that carries fiduciary responsibility, a council that sets strategy, constituency and sector bodies that do the work, and a secretariat that delivers it.
Board of Governors
Strategic governance and fiduciary oversight. Drawn across the six constituencies, chaired by Dr Roger Latchman with Yugasen Naidoo as Director.
National Innovation Council
Strategic ecosystem leadership — the body that sets the Council’s agenda and signs off its public positions.
Constituency Councils
One for each of the six constituencies, so no part of the ecosystem depends on another to be heard.
Sector Forums
Specialist expertise and collaboration: the AI, cybersecurity, FinTech and digital infrastructure forums and the networks alongside them.
Executive Secretariat
Professional management and delivery. The staff who carry the work between meetings.
Chapters
Provincial chapters in South Africa, then country chapters across SADC, so members outside the metros are not participating at a distance.
Annual assembly
Members meet once a year to adopt the work plan, elect seats and receive the state-of-the-sector report.
Road to constitution
Where we are
An indicative sequence. Founding members will be consulted at each step, and dates will firm up as the founding cohort closes.
Now — formation
Founding cohort and constitution
Recruiting founding members across all six constituencies, drafting the constitution and code of conduct, and registering the Council as a non-profit company.
Next — mobilisation
Working groups stand up
Chairs appointed for each focus area, work plans published, and the first policy submissions prepared with member input.
Then — output
First state-of-the-sector report and inaugural assembly
The Council's first research publication, followed by the inaugural annual assembly where members adopt the work plan and elect council seats.
Beyond — region
SADC chapters and international agreements
Country chapters established with local partners, and memoranda of understanding signed with counterpart councils abroad.
Questions
Before you ask
Does this compete with existing industry associations?
No. Existing bodies represent particular constituencies well, and the Council is designed to work with them — as association partners with a seat at the table. Innov8SA exists to do the thing none of them can do alone: put all six constituencies on the same problem.
Who can join?
Any organisation or individual with a material stake in the Southern African technology economy — technology firms, startups, funders, universities, corporates, public entities and international partners. Membership categories are set out on the home page.
What does membership cost?
Fees are being finalised and will be published before the Council is constituted, with reduced categories for startups, small firms and academic members. Registering your interest now carries no obligation.
Is the Council aligned to a political party or a government department?
No. Innov8SA is non-partisan and independent. It will engage with government constantly and represent its members robustly, but it is not an arm of the state and takes no party position.
What happens after I register my interest?
You will receive the founding member pack — the draft constitution, the proposed fee structure and the working group list — and an invitation to the next founding session.
Association profile
The whole platform, in two pages
The mandate, the six constituencies, the six strategic pillars and the technology trade and investment gateway — set out for boards, funders and prospective members. Share it before the conversation, not after.
Download the profile ↓PDF · 2 pages · 740 KB
Inside the profile
- 01The mandate — connect, convene, collaborate, commercialise
- 02Six constituencies from technology through to international markets
- 03Six strategic pillars, from policy and advocacy to global engagement
- 04The technology trade and investment gateway into Africa and the SADC region