{"id":42679,"date":"2026-09-04T13:38:52","date_gmt":"2026-09-04T13:38:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vut.ac.za\/?p=42679"},"modified":"2026-09-04T13:38:53","modified_gmt":"2026-09-04T13:38:53","slug":"vut-and-univen-equip-students-with-innovation-and-3d-printing-skills","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vut.ac.za\/st\/vut-and-univen-equip-students-with-innovation-and-3d-printing-skills\/","title":{"rendered":"VUT and UNIVEN equip students with innovation and 3D printing skills"},"content":{"rendered":"

“VUT and UNIVEN hosted an Entrepreneurship, Innovation and 3D Printing Week, equipping 20+ students with skills in innovation, IP and product development.”<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

04 September 2026 | Story by: Staff Reporter | Picture: Supplied<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 minutes read time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\nMr Godfrey Nwanekah, Industrial Engineering Lab Technician from VUT Technology Transfer and Innovation (TTI), facilitating a comprehensive session on product design and innovation processes, equipping participants with practical knowledge and insights to transform ideas into innovative products and solutions\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Vaal University of Technology (VUT), through its Technology Transfer Office (TTO) and Skills Development Unit, partnered with the University of Venda (UNIVEN) to host an Entrepreneurship, Innovation and 3D Printing Week from 24 to 27 August 2026. The programme equipped more than 20 students with practical knowledge and skills in entrepreneurship, intellectual property (IP), technology transfer, product development and additive manufacturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The initiative formed part of both institutions’ commitment to fostering an innovation-driven culture and empowering students to transform ideas and research into solutions with social and economic impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Opening the programme, Ms Nakisani Nemadodzi, Manager: Community Engagement and Social Impact Monitoring at UNIVEN, highlighted the importance of innovation, entrepreneurship, IP protection, technology transfer and advanced manufacturing in driving socio-economic development within the Vhembe District. She encouraged participants to use the programme to develop innovative ideas into market-ready products and services while strengthening collaboration between institutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A key highlight of the week was the launch of the Intellectual Property Clinic on 27 August 2026. The clinic will provide ongoing support to students, researchers, staff members and community innovators seeking guidance on IP protection, commercialisation and innovation management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the entrepreneurship and innovation sessions, Mr Donald Morema, Manager: Economic Activation Office, UNIVEN, encouraged participants to move beyond generating ideas and focus on solving real-world problems. He stressed the importance of understanding customer needs, validating concepts and collaborating across disciplines to create innovations with measurable impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sessions on intellectual property and technology transfer were facilitated by Mr Thabo Kgole, Intellectual Property Manager at VUT TTO; Mrs Martha Ikome, Intellectual Property<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Advisor at VUT TTO; and Dr Mlungiseleli Ganto, Manager: Centre for Entrepreneurship and Rapid Incubation, UNIVEN. Participants explored patents, trademarks, copyright, design registrations, technology transfer processes, non-disclosure agreements, commercialisation pathways and IP ownership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Students and aspiring entrepreneurs also received guidance on funding opportunities, regulatory requirements, product testing, certification and strategies for bringing innovations to market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The product design and innovation component was facilitated by Mr Zacharia Moalahi, Head of the Skills Development Unit at VUT Technology Transfer and Innovation (TTI); Ms Pako Magagane, Designer at the Technology Station in Materials Processing Technologies (TSMPT); and Mr Godfrey Nwanekah, Industrial Engineering Laboratory Technician at VUT Technology Transfer and Innovation. Participants were introduced to design thinking and the journey from problem identification to product development, including ideation, concept development, prototyping, testing and Computer-Aided Design (CAD).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Working in teams, participants identified community challenges such as water and sanitation issues, agricultural inefficiencies, waste management, plastic pollution, accessibility for older persons and sustainable packaging. The exercise demonstrated how local challenges can inspire innovation and entrepreneurship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The programme also introduced participants to 3D printing and additive manufacturing technologies. Facilitators demonstrated the fundamentals of 3D printing, explored commonly used materials and showed how digital concepts can be transformed into functional prototypes. A highlight was the introduction to VUT’s Idea-to-Product (I2P) Laboratory model, where participants observed the assembly and operation of a 3D printer and learned about equipment configuration, material loading and printing processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The hands-on training provided practical exposure to CAD modelling, prototype development and 3D printing while reinforcing the importance of intellectual property protection, commercialisation and market readiness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More than 20 students successfully completed the programme and praised the collaboration between VUT and UNIVEN for providing valuable practical skills and exposure to innovation and entrepreneurship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The programme concluded with a needs assessment to identify future training and mentorship opportunities. Most importantly, it provided aspiring innovators with a practical pathway from identifying a problem and developing an idea to protecting, prototyping and ultimately commercialising a solution, demonstrating the value of collaboration in strengthening South Africa’s innovation ecosystem.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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