Press Information
19 August, 2015
Do South Africans consider themselves to be innovators?
Philips study reveals that most South Africans think they are sitting on the “next big thing”
Philips announces South African Innovation Fellows Competition in collaboration with The Innovation
Hub to find the #nextbigidea in improving access to primary healthcare
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Sixty per cent (60%) of South Africans interviewed (base of 1000) claim they are innovators.
Fifty-seven per cent (57%) claim that lack of money is a barrier to innovation with forty-two
(42%) wanting more corporate involvement and 31% wanting government incentives to become
more innovative.
Education sixty-five point seven per cent (65.7) and healthcare sixty-four point two per cent
(64.2) score the highest in terms of sectors where innovation can make a tremendous impact and
improve lives.
Johannesburg, South Africa – Philips South Africa today announced the South African results of an
Innovation Research study (conducted in 5 African countries), which aimed to understand what South
African citizens think of innovation, perceived barriers to innovation and areas where successful
innovation could improve lives. Following the results, Philips has committed to providing an opportunity
for South Africans to highlight their meaningful innovations in the field of healthcare with the launch of
the South African Innovation Fellows Competition.
“Africa is filled with opportunities and we have long seen this potential. Upon entering South Africa over
100 years ago, we have been committed to delivering meaningful innovations,” said JJ Van Dongen,
Senior Vice President and CEO Philips Africa. “Following our research, we now want to show our support
in offering South Africans the opportunity to showcase their own tangible innovations that can
fundamentally change and improve the lives of others. We are committed to delivering on our promise
of ‘innovation and you’ and will support the entrants as they realise their success.”
Survey Findings
With sixty per cent (60%) of South Africans considering themselves to be innovators fifty-nine per cent
female and sixty-two per cent male (59% female vs 62% male), twenty per cent (20%) of them expressed
that they are not reliant on others to create solutions. Innovation is also deeply rooted in people who
are educated, independent in their businesses or hold senior positions in companies.
Seventy-one per cent (71%) Indians in South Africa and eighty per cent (80%) of those living in KwaZulu
Natal are leading in terms of seeing themselves as innovative. Those respondents who lived with less
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fortunate circumstances (underdeveloped areas / unemployed) tend to find their own solutions to
problems.
High confidence levels where noted amongst young black and Indian people living in more developed
areas, whose innovations were often conceptualised. Based on the results, finding daily innovative
solutions to everyday problems was higher amongst young people seventy-four per cent (74%) in
comparison to older respondents twenty-six per cent (26%).
Barriers to Innovation
Fifty-seven per cent (57%) of correspondents indicated a lack of money as a key barrier, twenty-nine per
cent (29%) highlighted poor infrastructure, twenty-three per cent (23%) mentioned an unsupportive
corporate culture and twenty-two per cent (22%) government regulations as barriers to innovation.
More expectation was placed on big companies to offer the right support (forty-two per cent -42%) with
expectations on government opportunities much lower (thirty-one per cent - 31%).
Most respondents found it easier to come up with innovations to social problems that impact their
immediate communities with the likelihood of turning ideas into something tangible quite high.
However, functionalities like money and motivation proved to be barriers.
Areas for Improvement
Majority of participants identified Education (sixty-five point seven per cent - 65.7%) and Healthcare
(sixty-four point two per cent - 64.2%) fields as areas of opportunity in innovation and where the most
beneficial results would be seen.
Fifty-four point two per cent (54.2%) correspondents believed innovation should improve one’s life and
the lives of others with thirty-six point four per cent (36.4%) believing it should make daily life easier and
more efficient.
In Comparison to the Continent
In comparison to other markets on the continent (Kenya, Nigeria, Morocco and Egypt), Nigeria showed
the highest overall score sixty-nine per cent (69%) in believing they are innovators followed by South
Africa sixty per cent (60%), Kenya fifty-four per cent (54%), Egypt twenty-eight per cent (28%) and finally
Morocco twenty-seven per cent (27%).
All countries identified the same two sectors of Health and Education as areas that would have the
highest impact on their lives (Healthcare sixty-nine point six per cent - 69.6% and Education fifty-eight
per cent -58%).
Generally, four (4) in ten (10) people interviewed (across the five markets) are optimistic about their
ideas being the ‘the next big thing’ with more than half of Kenyans fifty-eight per cent (58%) and
Nigerians fifty-seven per cent (57%) being more positive followed by South Africans at forty-six per cent
(46%).
Seventy-three per cent (73%) of people across some of the markets say that the lack of money is the
biggest barrier to innovation.
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Innovation Fellows Competition
“Fifty-two per cent (52%) of South Africans consider themselves to be innovators and as a company we
are in full support of realising these ideas to make a real difference in people’s lives,” added Van
Dongen.
Philips Africa in collaboration with The Innovation Hub in Pretoria is launching its first South African
Innovation Fellows competition to unlock the talent and address locally relevant challenges in
Healthcare.
If you believe that you have the next big meaningful innovation, Philips wants to know about it. Philips
will be providing Rand two-hundred thousand (R. 200,000) as a research & development budget to the
#nextbigidea in improving access to primary healthcare. “We believe that everyone has the potential to
change the way we live for the better. Submit your next big idea and we will help you make a real
difference to the current challenges identified in our African Innovation Research report”, concludes Van
Dongen.
“Innovation is a catalyst for economic development and increases the competitiveness of our local
economy. As The Innovation Hub and an agency of the Gauteng Department of Economic Development
collaborating with Philips on the first South African Innovation Fellows Competition will enable us to
unlock technological innovations sitting amongst South Africans. These are the innovations that will
assist in improving the living conditions of the South African communities.” said Mr McLean Sibanda,
CEO of The Innovation Hub.
Starting from today, interested participants can register at www.innovationfellows.co.za and submit
their #nextbigidea in word or PDF addressing the following topics:
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The challenge being addressed
The technology solution
The social impact expected
If your idea is selected, you will be contacted directly to move on to the next phase.
To download the Innovation Research report & infographic or to get information on the Philips South
Innovation Fellows Competition please visit: www.innovationfellows.co.za
For further information, please contact:
Radhika Choksey
Philips Group Communications - Africa
Tel: +31 62525 9000
E-mail: radhika.choksey@philips.com
About Royal Philips:
Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a diversified health and well-being company, focused on
improving people’s lives through meaningful innovation in the areas of Healthcare, Consumer Lifestyle
and Lighting. Headquartered in the Netherlands, Philips posted 2014 sales of EUR 21.4 billion and
employs approximately 106,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. The
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company is a leader in cardiac care, acute care and home healthcare, energy efficient lighting solutions
and new lighting applications, as well as male shaving and grooming and oral healthcare. News from
Philips is located at www.philips.com/newscenter.
About The Innovation Hub
The Innovation Hub, a subsidiary of the GGDA, is Africa's first internationally accredited Science Park and
is a full member of the International Association of Science Parks. It is strategically located in Tshwane,
South Africa's executive capital in the ‘smart' province of Gauteng. As the leading knowledge-intensive
business cluster in South Africa, The Innovation Hub implements initiatives identified in the Gauteng
Innovation Strategy and Green Economy Strategy to advance the economic development and growth of
the province through innovation. For more information, kindly visit www.theinnovationhub.com or
follow us on Twitter @Innovhub and Facebook InnovhubZA
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