ICT Innovations Propel Local Development: Where are Zimbabwean ICT Technopreneurs?

Servious Mbiza

ICT hubs, software development, software registration, software patents, technopreneurs

One blueprint after another have been presented to the Zimbabwean nation, and ICTs have been singled out as a driving force to achieve the set goals but until now there is not much technological innovations to exhibit. We have fallen for software applications developed from other countries hook-sink and line. What is more concerning is that these software products are designed in foreign capitals to address socio-economic challenges in those communities, and we cannot pretend that these products are also a best fit for our situation in Zimbabwe.  Zimbabwe is well known in Africa for its high literacy rate, and one wonders why this effort has not yet manifested in the development of local computer systems that solve our problems and align with our goals. This study attempts to investigate how ICT technopreneurs are being promoted in Zimbabwe, how the Zimbabwean universities are involved and how easy it is to register ICT innovations in Zimbabwe. A quantitative methodology was used. It was found that there is inadequate support by universities and government to promote software development. The necessary resources for the appropriate teaching of software development were lacking. Lack of motivation among lecturers and brain drain were other challenges. The study recommends that new ways of promoting technopreneurship among learners should be vigorously pursued by government in all areas of study.

https://doi.org/10.31871/WJRR.12.6.7