The Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) has strengthened its commitment to advancing innovation, entrepreneurship, research commercialisation and industry engagement through a new strategic partnership with AlignSure Solution (Pty) Ltd.

The two organisations formalised an Events Management Contract Agreement on 31 August 2026, establishing a three-year collaboration that will see AlignSure Solution utilise BIUST facilities to host investment promotion events. The partnership is designed to create platforms that connect academia and industry while promoting Botswana-made products and services and bringing together entrepreneurs, innovators, researchers, investors, policymakers and industry stakeholders.

For BIUST, the agreement represents an important opportunity to extend the impact of its teaching, research and innovation beyond the University environment and strengthen its role as a catalyst for national development.The collaboration reflects a strong alignment between the mandates and aspirations of BIUST and AlignSure Solution. BIUST’s strengths in science, technology, engineering, research, innovation and entrepreneurship complement AlignSure Solution’s focus on creating platforms that connect entrepreneurs, innovators, investors, policymakers and industry leaders.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Elisha Shemang, emphasised that BIUST has a responsibility to go beyond its traditional roles of teaching and research by fostering innovation, supporting entrepreneurship and facilitating meaningful connections between knowledge creators and industry stakeholders.

This shared focus provides a strong foundation for a partnership centred on knowledge creation, business development, investment and economic opportunity.Through the agreement, BIUST will provide a conducive environment for investment promotion events that can facilitate meaningful engagement between academia, industry and the broader business community. In doing so, the University will strengthen its position as a platform where research, innovation, enterprise and investment can converge.

A key benefit of the partnership for BIUST is the opportunity to strengthen the connection between research outcomes and commercial application. BIUST is home to researchers, innovators and students developing projects and technologies across science, engineering, technology, sustainable development and entrepreneurship. However, transforming research and prototypes into practical solutions and viable enterprises often requires access to industry expertise, investment, markets and strategic partnerships.

The investment promotion platforms created through the partnership will provide researchers and innovators with opportunities to showcase their research projects, prototypes, innovations and entrepreneurial ventures to potential investors and industry partners. This exposure can help accelerate the journey from research to practical solutions, start-ups and commercial ventures.For BIUST, this represents an important step in strengthening research impact and ensuring that knowledge and innovation generated within the University have opportunities to contribute to society and the economy.

The collaboration will also give industry greater access to emerging technologies, research and talent developed at BIUST, creating opportunities for stronger partnerships and knowledge exchange between the University and the private sector.Engagement with business leaders, investors, entrepreneurs and innovators will expose students to practical aspects of enterprise development, investment and the commercialisation of ideas. These interactions can complement their academic experience, inspire creativity and encourage students to consider entrepreneurship and innovation as pathways for creating value and employment.

Professor Shemang noted that the collaboration presents an opportunity to widen the reach and scope of the talent developed through BIUST’s laboratories and academic environment. By creating opportunities for students to interact with the wider business and innovation ecosystem, the partnership supports BIUST’s contribution to producing graduates who are equipped not only with technical knowledge, but also with the skills, networks and entrepreneurial mindset required to participate effectively in a competitive economy.

A key milestone under the partnership will be the Made in Botswana Expo 2026, scheduled for 8–9 October 2026 at BIUST, under the theme “Made in BW – Sold to the World.”The Expo will provide a platform to promote Botswana-made products and services while bringing together Government, academia, industry, SMEs, innovators, investors, development partners and diplomatic missions. It will facilitate discussions around investment opportunities, innovation, local production, competitiveness, standards, partnerships and pathways to international markets.

The initiative aligns closely with BIUST’s role in supporting innovation-led economic development. It creates an avenue for the University’s research, technologies, expertise and entrepreneurial talent to engage with businesses and investors, while contributing to conversations on how Botswana can strengthen the competitiveness and global reach of its products, services and innovations.

For AlignSure Solution, the Expo forms part of a broader ambition to connect Botswana’s productive capacity with investment and market opportunities. The company’s Director, Ms Dineo Tshepiso Seleke, described the partnership as a platform connecting “ideas to markets, research to industry, innovation to investment and Botswana-made products to the world.”The significance of the BIUST–AlignSure partnership extends beyond the University and the events themselves. It contributes to the broader national objective of building a more diversified, knowledge-driven and competitive economy.

Botswana’s economic transformation requires stronger collaboration between higher education institutions, Government, the private sector, investors, entrepreneurs and innovators. By bringing these stakeholders together, the partnership creates an ecosystem in which ideas can develop into partnerships, research can move towards commercial application, and investment opportunities can be identified and pursued. The partnership is therefore expected to provide a foundation for continued collaboration in innovation, entrepreneurship, research commercialisation, investment promotion and economic diversification.

As Botswana commemorates 60 years of Independence, the initiative also contributes to the national conversation about the economy the country seeks to build for the next 60 years, one increasingly driven by knowledge, innovation, enterprise and global competitiveness. For BIUST, the agreement is an important expression of the University’s commitment to creating meaningful partnerships that translate knowledge into impact. It strengthens the bridge between research and industry, innovation and investment, and academic excellence and economic opportunity.

Through this collaboration, BIUST continues to position itself not only as a centre of science and technology, but as an active partner in building an innovative, entrepreneurial and globally competitive Botswana.