Botswana innovation network players meet to drive digital transformation
On 29 January 2026, innovation ecosystem leaders from government, academia, the private sector, and innovation hubs convened in Gaborone to engage on the concept of a Botswana National Innovation Network (BNIN). The initiative is a core pillar of the “EU Support to Digital Transformation in Botswana” Project, funded by the European Union (EUR 4.7 million) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France (EUR 150,000) and delivered in partnership with the Botswana Digital and Innovation Hub (BDIH), SmartBots, and HAUS, under the Team Europe Initiative led by Expertise France.
The meeting brought ecosystem leaders together to build a shared vision, validate Botswana’s innovation landscape, and agree on a clear case for change.
Opening the workshop, Mr Diane Mongudi, Acting CEO of BDIH, set out the Network’s ambition: “The vision is clear: high-quality services for ventures from idea to scale.”
Participants highlighted persistent barriers such as fragmented pathways, siloed programmes, and disjointed funding, which continue to slow progress in translating innovation into real-world impact. The Network is positioned to support delivery of national priorities under Botswana Vision 2036, the Twelfth National Development Plan (NDP 12), the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP), and the National Research Agenda 2025–2029. It will operate through a federated model, coordinating around common standards while enabling institutions to retain autonomy.
“We have a short three-month window to build a legacy innovation platform owned and controlled by the innovation ecosystem that will continue to respond to the challenges and opportunities in our society with speed, sustainability and collective success,” said Yandile Nuku, National Innovation Expert at HAUS.
Stakeholders agreed to move swiftly from concept to action through a three-month national network incubation period, focused on delivering tangible results. This phase will strengthen the Network’s governance, resourcing approach and operational model, while laying the foundations for long-term collaboration across Botswana’s innovation ecosystem.
“When the network stakeholders work in true partnership, each hub has their own identity and strengths, and they use their material and human resources and experts better in a collaborative manner”, said Taavi Erkkola, leading expert on innovation and entrepreneurship for the EU-funded project at HAUS, one of the implementing partners of the Team Europe Initiative.
A central element of this work is the operationalisation of the SmartBots Lab, which will provide shared capabilities in AI, robotics, augmented reality, and advanced digital technologies, supporting ecosystem players in responding more effectively to national challenges.
The ambition is to establish a durable, ecosystem-driven platform that enables faster, more coordinated innovation through shared infrastructure, collective intelligence, and strategic openness.
EU Support to Digital Transformation in Botswana is a three-year, EU-funded initiative supporting Botswana’s ambition to become a knowledge-based economy by 2036. It supports the implementation of the Government of Botswana’s SmartBots Digital Transformation Strategy and focuses on strengthening legal, regulatory, and governance frameworks, expanding inclusive digital public services, and boosting innovation and entrepreneurship, particularly for women and youth. HAUS Finnish Institute of Public Management leads the activities supporting digital innovation and entrepreneurship.
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This article has been produced with the financial assistance of EU Support to Digital Transformation in Botswana project. The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of HAUS and may under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the views of Expertise France or the European Union.
Photos: Oteng Kalanke / Gemini Studio BW
