IASP connections continue to strengthen collaboration across Southern Africa

As the IASP community prepares to gather once again at the 2026 World Conference in Cannes, recent visits by IASP Board Member and Immediate Past President Lena Miranda, CEO of Linköping Science Park (Sweden), to South Africa and Botswana offer a powerful example of the lasting impact of the association's global network. The relationships established during the 2024 IASP World Conference in Nairobi, Kenya, continue to foster knowledge exchange, new partnerships and international engagement across the region. 

During her trip through Southern Africa, Lena visited several IASP members and other innovation organisations, including The Innovation Hub, Botswana Digital & Innovation Hub, East London IDZ SOC, Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct, UniPod at the University of Botswana, The Cortex Hub at the University of the Witwatersrand and the Technology Transfer Office at Vaal University of Technology.  

She also participated in the inauguration of the ST&I Business Forum and met with representatives from the Embassy of Sweden and Business Sweden to explore opportunities for future cooperation. 

The mission was made possible thanks to the relationships developed across the IASP community and the support of African Division President Ludwe Macingwane, showing how connections made through the association evolve into long-term partnerships that strengthen innovation ecosystems worldwide. 

Reflecting on the experience, Lena described the journey as another reminder of the strength of the IASP network. 

"Over the years, my engagement with IASP has allowed me to build an extraordinary international network and, perhaps even more importantly, a global family of people dedicated to innovation, collaboration and creating a better future. This journey was yet another reminder of the value of those relationships." 

Throughout the visit, discussions focused on how science parks, universities, technology transfer offices and innovation hubs are supporting economic transformation by connecting research, entrepreneurship and industry. Elena Lena highlighted the importance of ensuring that Africa's growing talent base is linked to international research networks and global value chains. 

"Talent is the continent's greatest natural resource – and future competitiveness will belong to those countries and regions that succeed in connecting people, research and industry to global value chains.", reflects Lena, echoing one of the defining themes of the 41st IASP World Conference in Nairobi, Kenya: that innovation thrives through collaboration.  

Lena’s visit is another example of IASP’s mission in action. The conversations that began during the IASP World Conference in Nairobi have since evolved into new partnerships and collaborative opportunities across Southern Africa, demonstrating how the value of the IASP network extends far beyond the conference itself, creating enduring relationships that continue to benefit members and strengthen innovation ecosystems around the world.