Smart city outlook good
New business incubator head has confidence in PE’s potential
IT will take time, commitment, collaboration and cooperation – but it can be done. This was the measured but confident outlook of Anita Palmer, 48, newly appointed head of Propella Business Incubator who was commenting on Nelson Mandela Bay’s efforts to evolve into a smart city.
Propella is widely recognised as the Bay’s definitive smart incubator.
It is at the forefront of efforts by a range of role-players – including Bay authorities, academia and the private sector – to implement the smart city concept in the Bay.
The incubator enjoys share- holding by NMMU and Engeli Enterprise Development, with support from a range of other entities.
It operates on the basis of incubating new innovators, accelerating their development and then graduating them into the market.
Palmer, a widely experienced, awardwinning entrepreneur, has taken the reins from Ellen Fischat, who left Propella early last month after she was appointed managing director of Silicon Cape in Cape Town – South Africa’s emerging equivalent of America’s Silicon Valley.
Well equipped to drive the development
I look forward to steering the evolution of the organisation
of start-ups, Palmer founded business-to-business publication Business Link magazine, which she published for more than 10 years, and also served as vice-chairwoman of the Port Elizabeth Business Women’s Association (BWA).
Kimberly-born Palmer, who cut her teeth in the business world as a public relations officer, also claimed top honours in the BWA Regional Business Achievers’ Award in the entrepreneurial category.
She is also qualified as a business mentor with Mentors and Business Coaches International.
“I’m thrilled to join the dynamic team at Propella and look forward to steering the evolution of the organisation as a smart incubator for a smart city,” Palmer said.
She found the opportunity to support and accelerate new technologies and advanced manufacturing businesses “unique and exciting”.
While Propella, as Port Elizabeth’s first innovation hub, would continue to focus on ICT, renewable energy, energy efficiency and advanced manufacturing enterprises, Palmer outlined plans which would boost Propella’s reach and capacity as an incubator.
“To expand our services and extend our reach, specifically in the urban areas on which we are focused, we are considering the idea of becoming more mobile, through having mobile units with which we can reach other areas.
“We are considering establishing a smart academy, which we can run through Skype, and then there is the idea of creating our own smart, local eco system.
“If the global village idea can be achieved through technology, then we should, through technology, be able to bring that concept down to a localised level,” Palmer said.
As a proponent of small and medium enterprises as the backbone of the national economy, she pointed to unnecessary red tape as among the biggest challenges facing small enterprise.
“We also need an environment free of the barriers to market entry, and which facilitates and improves the ease of doing business.
“Getting these things right will certainly stimulate and play a critical role, increasing the numbers of small businesses and the success of small businesses,” she said.