Five days of activities planned with local and international partners to promote and showcase science and technology in Guinea-Bissau
Bissau, Guinea-Bissau, September 24th, 2018 – As part of the Next Einstein Forum African Science Week, InnovaLab, Guinea-Bissau’s first innovation accelerator, has organized a week of activities to engage children, young professionals, and public and private sector companies and institutions from across Guinea Bissau to catalyze the countries engagement in and awareness of opportunities in STEM.
The Next Einstein Forum’s (NEF) Africa Science Week (ASW) is Africa’s annual weeklong celebration of science and technology with thousands of individuals – from students, to scientists to technologists – actively engaging in coordinated science events across the continent throughout September 2018. The program is designed to instill a curiosity of learning and interest in STEM among the public and encourage young Africans, especially women, to pursue careers in these fields.
This year, NEF AWS, will take place in 30 countries across Africa, with each countries activities being led by NEF Ambassadors. AdulaiBary, from InnovaLab, was selected as the 2017-19 Next Einstein Forum Ambassador for Guinea-Bissau. The NEF Ambassadors are a key part of the growing NEF movement, showcasing global contribution and potential of scientists from Africa. As part of AWS, NEF Ambassadors organize three major events throughout the week that take place in communities where they reside and that involve their local partners and institutions.
“Amílcar Cabral, father and founder of Guinean and Cape Verdean nationalities, said; by their own effort and sacrifice, marching with their own feet, guiding with their own minds the progress they deserve as any other country in the world … that is why InnovaLab brings Africa Science Week to Guinea to promote autonomy and opportunities for national entrepreneurs”
– Adulai Barry, CEO at Innovalab& NEF Ambassador
For the week of September 24th, the Innovalab team will organize workshops, panels, exhibitions, competitions and a hackathon to showcase opportunities in science in technology, and, ultimately, to propel Bissau’s technology and innovation ecosystem forward. For these events, science, innovation, entrepreneurship, technology will be on stage! Key activities for Bissau’s ASW include:
- DigiKid Day “The Future Guinean Einstein Day” – Children from Bissau’s SOS primary school and their parents will be introduced to digital literacy concepts like coding, algorithmic games, and different digital platforms.
- STEM Career Fair – Over 15 employers will showcase available jobs and internships in science and technology to over +300 job seekers and graduate students.
- Hackathon, “#HealthMeetsTech for social change” – Selected teams will build financially viable prototypes of technological solutions that could be implemented in the health sector to improve disease surveillance and notification.
- Women in Science Day – Celebrating women and girls in science & technology, the event will include a film screening, networking session, and an award show.
- Executive’s Closing Panel – Chaired by the President of the Republic of Guinea-
Bissau, participants will attend an executive panel on the ways different industries can come together to build Guinea-Bissau’s knowledge economy.
As one of the NEF ASW major events, Innovalab is working in partnership with SeedStars to host the first ever SeedStar’s pitch competition in Guinea-Bissau. For the competition, the 10 best startups from Bissau will be invited to pitch in front of an investment panel and compete to be crowned the most promising seed-stage startup of Seedstars Bissau 2018. The winning startup will join the global Seedstars family and take part in the regional and global Seedstars Summits that include their tried and tested bootcamp and investor forum. The winner will receive one flight ticket to Switzerland to compete for over $1 million USD in investment at the annual SeedStars World Competition.
“Knowing the evolution of science and technology in africa and scarcity of culture technology in the country, this forum has come to instill and reinforce learning in the juvenile layer especially in girls where it is noticed more often little adherence. The essence of the program outlined for all age groups comes within the local context”
– Claudinesia Cabral – Co-founder and Program Manager, Innovalab
Learn more about InnovaLab, here: www.innovalab-gw.com
For more information on Africa Science Week in Guinea-Bissau, please visit:ASW Program Schedule
For media, sponsorship and attendance requests:
Aimonia Cabral – contact@innovalab.com
Follow InnovaLab on Facebookand Twitter.
About InnovaLab
InnovaLab, a social enterprise, is the pioneer innovation accelerator in Guinea-Bissau, founded by young Bissau-Guinean professional. InnovaLab strives to foster entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem development and create social impact by supporting venture creation and entrepreneurship in education, agriculture, healthcare and infrastructure. Our objective is to achieve sustainable development in Africa, starting in Guinea Bissau.
About the Next Einstein Forum
Launched in 2013, the Next Einstein Forum (NEF) is an initiative of the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) in partnership with Robert Bosch Stiftung. The NEF is a platform that connects science, society and policy in Africa and the rest of the world – with the goal to leverage science for human development globally. The NEF believes that Africa’s contributions to the global scientific community are critical for global progress. At the centre of NEF efforts are Africa’s young people, the driving force for Africa’s scientific renaissance.
About SeedStars and Seedstars World
Seedstars is a group of companies based in Switzerland with the mission of impacting people’s lives in emerging markets through the promotion and investment in entrepreneurship and technology. Seedstars World is a part of Seedstars Group, and runs the global startup competition covering 65+ emerging and developing markets.
Schedule:
Robotics Record 