Enter the 2022 BCX Digital Innovation Awards
These prestigious annual awards celebrate large and small enterprises as industry leaders and disrupters
The IDC believes digital innovation is defined by the terms “disruptive”, “differentiating” and “unique”. That, done well, it can deliver value beyond its original intent.
The World Economic Forum believes that digital innovation is key to introducing transformative change to the economy and society; that it can embed resilience and future-proof the economy.
To further SA's growth and economic development, it’s imperative that there remains a focus on digital innovation through intelligent initiatives and consistent investment.
“There is a need to transform society economically through the innovative use of technology,” says Mandisa Ntloko-Petersen, chief marketing officer of BCX, Africa’s leading ICT solutions and service provider. “To help communities, entrepreneurs and individuals participate in the economy from wherever they may be, digital innovation has to be adaptable to all environments in SA.”
While the past two years have taken their toll on economies and organisations due to Covid-19, it has provided a boost for innovation and transformation. There has been a rapid and unprecedented rise in technology adoption and a surge in solutions designed to fill the gaps created by remote and hybrid working, cloud-first strategies and rapid digital adoption. From the start-up to the established enterprise, companies have found inventive ways of overcoming the challenges faced by their business and employees.
“This innovation has the potential to help drive economic growth in the country, but there has to be more conversation around how this can be effectively delivered — how this can be realistically achieved,” says Ntloko-Petersen. “A starting point is to understand the current state of digital innovation at both the macro and micro levels. These insights can be used to find innovative solutions for our local challenges.”
The BCX Digital Innovation Report 2022 found that, on the micro level, digital innovation has undergone rapid acceleration by organisations of all sizes, globally. Initially this was for survival, but now it’s for business resilience and continuity. On the macro level, it found that there was a need to take this further, to create an environment where digital innovation can thrive through collaboration and competition.
“There has been something missing — something that pushes innovation and that gives digital solutions the platform they need to gain visibility and expand their footprints,” says Ntloko-Petersen.
SA is fertile ground for innovation, where our unique sets of challenges require innovative thinking and digital technologies can play a role in resolving many of these, such as access to services. “This is why it’s important for industry leaders, academics and government leaders to focus on creating opportunities to bridge this gap between digital and its full potential.”
This is the ethos that underpins the BCX Digital Innovation Awards. Now in their fourth year, these awards celebrate SA African success stories and the accomplishments of local companies with the goal of becoming a key enabler for economic and social transformation in the country.
Winners of the 2022 event will join a long list of enterprises, large and small, that have redefined the SA landscape such as Ozow, Checkers, Pargo, Bottles, RTT Logistics and SMEgo.
“By recognising the talent and inventive spirit of SA entrepreneurs, start-ups and organisations, we are ensuring BCX remains a driver of digital innovation in SA,” says Ntloko-Petersen.
To enter the BCX Digital Innovation Awards, visit bcx.co.za.
For the latest news about these awards, follow #BCXDIA on social media. Entries close at midnight on August 31.
This article was paid for by BCX.