Govt warns on replicating innovations

Government has warned on replication of innovations as over 250 Ugandan innovators registered for the 2024 National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) International space App challenge.

The global tech competition is aimed at solving challenges both on earth and space.

Doreen Agaba, the technical lead, Department of Aeronautics and Space Science at Uganda’s Science Technology and Innovation Secretariat, told innovators to desist from copying existing innovations.

“We want you to own what you are doing. We don’t want you to enter an innovation space when you are feeling inferior already. We need you to bring out that technology and innovation that the world has not yet seen,” Agaba guided on Monday.

She added: “We cannot keep doing technology the same way. It is always changing and so even space technology will have to evolve. There is no choice around it and you are the ones that will do this.”

Agaba was speaking during the launch of the NASA International space App challenge at Uganda Institute of Information and Communications Technology (UICT) Nakawa in Kampala.

She stated that the space challenge aligns with Uganda’s vision on digital transformation.

For a second time, Uganda will be hosting a local event for the NASA Space Apps Challenge at the UICT- after Makerere University’s College of Engineering Design Art and Technology in 2023.

The two-day creevent involving creative problem solving using NASA’s data will happen October 5-6. The event is expected to attract coders, scientists, designers and storytellers among others.

Gasteruas Rutwara, the research and innovation coordinator at UICT, said that over 250 participants from different academic fields are expected to participate.

“It's exciting to begin innovations in space technology. It's a bit foreign but we are encouraging our young people all over the country from higher education institutions to participate,” Rutwara said.

Elijah Akena, a student at UICT called upon problem solvers around the world, the web coders, the web developers and technology enthusiasts to come together, hack for the space and world solutions in order to improve on environmental sustainability.