Biotech Fundi Awards set to honour Gauteng biotech community

The awards bring together various biotechnology role players and stakeholders with the sole objective of recognising achievements and excellence in the sector and opened for new entries on 12 July 2013.

Encouraging biotechnology development

The Biotech Fundi Awards were initially set up by the provincial government to support, promote and develop those individuals and companies who make a significant impact on the biotech sector in Gauteng.

The MEC for Gauteng Rural Development and Rural Development, Nandi Mayathula-Khoza, says, "With the 2012 event having been such a success, it is paramount for us to continue developing this fledgling sector and to continually look for mechanisms which could assist in catapulting biotechnology and treat it as a critical sector for the development of products and services that are essential for human needs and that are in the core of sustaining our daily lives. The Biotech Fundi Awards recognise the who's who in Gauteng biotech, and more importantly act as a stimulus to establish Gauteng as the Biotech Centre in Southern Africa in line with the Gauteng biotechnology strategy."

Companies and individuals in biotech research and development, private sector, academia, capacity building and promoting of biotech through various media channels were recognised through six different award categories. The categories for 2013 include the following:

• Biotech Fundi Students Award 2013
  
• Biotech Fundi Enterprise Builder / Entrepreneur Award 2013
  
• Biotech Fundi Research Award 2013
  
• Biotech Fundi Capacity Builder Award 2013
  
• Biotech Fundi Communicator Award 2013
  
• Biotech Fundi Public Leadership Award 2013
  
• Biotech Fundi Lifetime Contribution Award 2013

Gauteng as a development hub

With major academic institutions in the region, such as the Tshwane University of Technology, the University of Pretoria, the University of the Witwatersrand, the University of Johannesburg, University of South Africa and MEDUNSA, and the world-class research organisations including the Agriculture Research Council, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, MINTEK and the National Research Foundation, Gauteng offers a unique combination of various resources to form a world-class scientific and research and development hub. Coupled with its excellent manufacturing and industrial facilities, Gauteng is ideally positioned for the development and promotion of biotechnology excellence.

In last year's competition, more than 40 entries were received. The closing date for this year's entries is Sunday, 28 July 2013 at 4pm. A stringent adjudication process will then take place by an independent adjudication committee. The process will finally culminate in the official awards ceremony, to take place at The Innovation Hub on 7 August 2013.

For more information, go to www.gautengbiotechawards.co.za.