Fiji's emerging innovation ecosystem is entering a new phase, with the government calling for deeper collaboration between entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders and development partners to turn ideas into businesses, jobs and new economic opportunities.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Industries, Commerce, Business Development and Public Enterprises Manoa Kamikamica made the call while opening the inaugural Fiji Innovation Hub Showcase in Suva.
Kamikamica said the focus must now move beyond establishing a physical innovation space to building the community and business networks needed to sustain Fiji's innovation ecosystem.
“The greatest return on this investment will come from the businesses you build, the jobs you create, the problems you solve and the opportunities you generate for communities across Fiji,” Kamikamica said.
The Fiji Innovation Hub is a strategic partnership involving the government, Reserve Bank of Fiji and development partners, with the long-term ambition of becoming a centre for Fiji's innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.
The Hub is intended to give entrepreneurs access to mentorship, connect innovators and students with investors and industry, help businesses identify growth opportunities and new markets, and strengthen the contribution of innovation to productivity, employment, economic growth and resilience.
Building an entrepreneurship ecosystem
Kamikamica said achieving those objectives would require sustained commitment from the private sector and could not be delivered by government alone.
He called on business leaders, investors and experienced professionals to take a more active role in mentoring emerging entrepreneurs, sharing expertise, opening professional networks and helping promising businesses establish connections to finance and markets.
For founders and emerging entrepreneurs, such networks can be critical as they seek to expand into new markets, secure financing and manage the challenges associated with business growth.
The Innovation Hub Showcase has brought together participants through partner panels, founder conversations, Talanoa sessions and networking opportunities designed to encourage the exchange of ideas and identify potential areas for collaboration.
International and private-sector support
Kamikamica acknowledged the support of the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Capital Development Fund's Pacific Digital Economy Programme, the European Union, the governments of Australia and New Zealand, the Reserve Bank of Fiji, Creative HQ, Mastercard, HFC Bank and Fiji Airways.
The range of partners reflects the government's effort to build an innovation ecosystem that connects public institutions with financial, business, technology and development-sector organisations.
With demand for programmes, mentorship, networking and support services continuing to grow, Kamikamica said the momentum around the Hub showed that Fiji's innovators were ready for the next stage.
The challenge, he said, is now to convert that momentum into measurable outcomes, including stronger businesses, more jobs, practical solutions and wider economic opportunities.
The government ultimately wants the Fiji Innovation Hub to help position the country as a leading Pacific centre for innovation and entrepreneurship while creating opportunities for future generations in Fiji and across the wider Pacific.
