“We Are Nurturing Ideas That Will Be Commercialised”- Dr. Machengete

The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) officially hosted its first ever 2025 Innovation Drive Ideathon in Masvingo. The event provided a rare opportunity for students and young entrepreneurs from across Zimbabwe to present their ideas to a panel of industry leaders. With the most promising projects receiving seed funding of up to $8,000 per team, disbursed incrementally as milestones were achieved.

Dr. Gift Kalisto Machengete, POTRAZ Director General, in his opening remarks, emphasised the importance of cultivating ideas.“We are nurturing ideas that will be commercialised,” Dr. Machengete said in an exclusive interview.

“Previously, we would ask participants to develop applications for specific problems. But this time, we deliberately chose key sectors and brought in experts to guide these young minds. We want their ideas to evolve into commercial products that can solve real-world problems.”

By Gamuchirai Mapako

The minister of ICT also echoed this sentiment pointing out that not everyone has the capacity to come up with softwares hence the “idea-thon”.

Dr. Machengete highlighted the importance of mentorship in this process.

“Young people are tech-savvy and full of brilliant ideas, but these ideas need guidance to become viable products,” he explained.
“POTRAZ is stepping in to provide not just funding but also expert mentorship. We believe these ideas will eventually be commercialised, creating jobs and addressing critical challenges in our society.”

Industry experts included representatives from The Reserve bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) standing in for the financial sector, Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA), Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) and Public Service Commission.

Minister Mavetera praised the initiative, noting that ICT-driven solutions are pivotal to national development. “We are supporting young tech players for industry solutions,” she said. “We are not just looking at winners or losers, but ideas with great potential to address challenges faced in different sectors in the country.”

The event marked a significant departure from traditional heckathons, adopting a multi-sectoral approach to tackle diverse challenges in Agriculture, Tourism, Finance, and Energy. By nurturing ideas with funding, mentorship, and sector-specific guidance, Zimbabwe is laying the foundation for a thriving digital economy.

As Dr. Machengete aptly put it, “We are not just funding ideas; we are investing in the future.”