University of Pretoria (UP) innovation and intellectual property (IP) recently took centre stage at a gala dinner titled ‘InnoValue: Celebrating UP IP impact’, which showcased the remarkable commercialisation impact of technologies created at UP.

The event, which was hosted by the Department of Research and Innovation at the Javett Art Centre at UP, demonstrated the role of the University’s intellectual property in making a profound social impact and driving economic growth. This kind of innovation underscores UP’s commitment to contributing to the advancement of South Africa and, more broadly, to the African continent and the global community in a knowledge-based economy.

“Intellectual property plays a crucial role in driving economic growth, particularly in today's knowledge-based economy, which is marked by the fusion of physical, digital and biological technologies,” said Professor Themba Mosia, Interim Vice-Chancellor and Principal at UP. “Intellectual property rights extend beyond protection, offering various advantages. They foster innovation, leading to new products and services. Intellectual property rights drive lateral thinking, creating intangible assets. Start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises benefit by competing with larger companies, often acquired by conglomerates.”

An exhibit showcased innovative works by UP researchers who created leading and significant intellectual property and solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges, creating employment by extension. 

UP exhibited its ventures in the form of companies such as HearX Group, which offers affordable access to hearing care using smart digital health solutions.

“We build smart audiological technology, which requires virtually no operator training, to conduct screening and full diagnostic testing in an off-the-grid-state,” says Anton Richter, general manager of the HearX Group. “Our story started with our founder – Prof Daniël De Wet Swanepoel – holding a cellphone, frustrated with the lack of hearing healthcare services, professionals and equipment in Africa. He asked: ‘What if we can turn this into a low-cost, medical-grade audiometer that anyone can use, anywhere?’ hearScreen came to fruition out of UP, and has led to a wide range of clinically validated, research-backed audiological tech.” 

HearXGroup has developed an extensive range of hearing technology that leverages advancements in mobile technologies to maintain a disruptive costing model because it is user-friendly, cost-effective and accurate. This innovation is used in 191 countries worldwide and has been used to screen over 2.4 million people since inception. TIME100 Most Influential Companies 2023 mentioned Lexie Hearing, a division of hearX Group, for its extraordinary impact on hearing health in the US.

Other innovative solutions that have come out of UP are Letago Pharmaceuticals, which provides high-quality pharmaceutical products and services to improve health and well-being; African Applied Chemicals, which combines technology with science to create lifestyle products and applications to aid in the fight against malaria; and Marti TB Diagnostics, a company that takes the MARTI point-of-care diagnostic to the public and private healthcare sectors to ensure early tuberculosis diagnosis.

“Intellectual property rights significantly contribute to a country’s economic well-being and serve the public in diverse ways,” Prof Mosia said. “Companies can generate revenue by marketing and licensing their intellectual property, surpassing direct sales profits, particularly when they possess in-house manufacturing capabilities. Our goal is to be a forward-thinking university, not solely for the purpose of elevating our global standing, but to actively contribute to the transformation of our nation, continent and the world through impactful research and innovations.”

The event sought to remind researchers, industry and government leaders that UP places great emphasis on leveraging its knowledge for commercial purposes through technology transfer, aligning with the Intellectual Property Rights from Publicly Financed Research and Development Act (No 51 of 2008). The legislation empowers UP, which receives public research funding, to safeguard and capitalise on intellectual property arising from research endeavours.

“Companies eagerly await innovative products, and universities benefit from licensing agreements and increased employment opportunities for graduates,” Prof Mosia added. “Our faculty and students are further incentivised by the prospect of financial gains from the commercialisation of their inventions, as well as the gratification of witnessing their innovations put to practical use, often for the greater good of the public. In exchange for endorsing policies that promote technology transfer, the public benefits from the social utility of emerging products and services resulting from the commercialisation of university inventions, the formation of new enterprises, job creation and overall economic growth.”

“We believe that the power of innovation is not confined to the walls of our university but extends far beyond,” added Advocate Lawrence Baloyi, Head of Contracts and Innovation at the Department of Research and Innovation. “Together, we can shape the future and continue to create technologies that make a meaningful difference in society.”