THE Ideas Festival held last week in Nyanga explored transformative strategies to heal the nation while addressing the brokenness and toxicity hindering its growth and development.
The event, headlined by an impressive cast of top academics, sector experts and start-up enterprise leaders, served a calabash of strategies that can unlock Zimbabwe’s full potential.
The festival, which was hosted by In Conversation with Trevor, was themed Transformative Ideas to Power Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
The conference’s discussions were mainly focused on encouraging meaningful and comprehensive discussions to allow individuals from all sectors to find solutions to the country’s challenges.
During discussions, participants explored how Zimbabwe and Africa can embrace innovation and technology such as Artificial Intelligence to stimulate economic growth.
The conference kicked off with a call to action from Alpha Media Holdings (AMH) chairman, Trevor Ncube, to address the nation’s polarisation and toxicity as it is impeding Zimbabwe’s economic development.
AMH is a private media company that publishes two weeklies, Zimbabwe Independent and The Standard and the daily paper NewsDay. It also owns online broadcasting company HStv.
After Ncube’s address, a chain of intriguing conversations followed, anchored by an in-depth presentation on how Zimbabwe and Africa should see Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a tool rather than a threat to shape the future of the continent.
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In his presentation, Sierra Leone's AI expert Terrene Okeke Taylor said Africa would lose out on chances that would enable it to advance if it did not adopt technology.
“Africa can leapfrog through technology, specifically AI,” Taylor said.
“I believe technology always allows us to leap forward.
“We have done it before in things like communication. Another thing that you have to understand is that AI will not replace humans, but those who know AI will replace you.
“Someone who knows AI and uses AI is going to replace you.”
Day two started with discussions on start-up fundraising strategies, where start-up expert Victor Mapunga called for enabling policies to support the small businesses to formalise.
He also shared ideas on how to sustain start-ups which include crowdfunding, going where the business thrives learning from previous mistakes while drawing motivation from them, keeping the ideas simple while dreaming big and surrounding oneself with valuable relationships.
Business consultant, Chad Mhako, shared the same sentiments with Mapunga.
Mhako spoke on the need to establish a Start-up Bill in a bid to support local start-ups to formalise and push forward economic development.
"The Startup Act is an essential piece of legislation because it will mainstream entrepreneurship, not just startups,” Mhako said.
“Comprehensive entrepreneurship legislation has been observed to accelerate economic development.
“A case in point is China, where they have comprehensive entrepreneurship legislation that provides business and fiscal incentives to small businesses.
"We need comprehensive entrepreneurship legislation that integrates itself with other pieces of legislation to create a comprehensive entrepreneurship ecosystem. Legislation directs economic activity and if there are incentives for formalisation, you find that a lot of businesses will formalise."
Travel Essence Magazines & Narratives PR founder and editor-in-chief Yvonne Mtengwa called on authorities to invest in destination promotion through comprehensive strategies that align with national tourism goals.
“For us, if the messaging is not coming through and does not always come through, I think that is a conversation that I think needs to be happening between the tourism board, the local tourism board, and the industry stakeholders,” Mtengwa said.
Former Cabinet member, Olivia Muchena led a discussion themed Shaping tomorrow’s political leaders where she emphasised the need for future political leaders to stand for the truth, integrity and accountability.
Top Banker Nicholas Vingirai spoke on the need to restore trust in the banking sector and local currency emphasising that it should start with the central bank.
Other speakers who made the day were Nkosana Moyo who spoke on creating a good society, as the role for both businesses and citizens, and Thebe Ikalafeng in a discussion themed Africa is not a country: How to make Africa a country for startups.
The second day of the Ideas Festival witnessed the presentation of 10 innovative ideas under the Eight2five innovation hub, courtesy of Old Mutual Zimbabwe.
Speakers who presented on day three included Devine Ndhlukula, Precious Nyika, Gloria Zvaravanhu, Janet Zhou, and Ken Sharpe who spoke about their journeys to the top of the corporate world.
