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Bioprocess Development and Pilot Centre Project
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Partner name:
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Council for Scientific and Industrial Research – eGoLiBio
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Project name:
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Bioprocess Development and Pilot Centre
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Funding round:
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CFP 2
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Funding:
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Jobs Fund grant R72 000 000
Matched Funding R18 000 000
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Website:
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http://www.csir.co.za
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Window:
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Enterprise development
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Location:
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Gauteng
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Partners:
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eGoLiBio
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Problem statement:
Bioprocess development and bio-manufacturing skills are extremely scarce in South Africa. Many enterprises do not have the capacity to take their inventions to the market, and/or do not have access to necessary funding to develop products and processes. The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research would like to set up an affordable, broadly accessible national bio-manufacturing centre that focuses on enterprise creation to support the rapid growth of a bio-manufacturing economy.
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Partner(s):
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research is one of the leading scientific and technology research, development and implementation organisations in Africa. It undertakes directed research and development for socio-economic growth. eGoLiBio, a development agent for the commercialisation of biosciences products, identifies potential entrepreneurs with innovative technologies to convert bioscience research into commercially viable ventures. The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research will partner with EGoLiBio for this project.
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Intervention:
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research will acquire specialised equipment and services to incubate and support the establishment of biotechnology enterprises. It will also provide skills development and vocational training to prepare key resources for the industrialisation of bio-manufacturing. The incubation hub will allow local beneficiation of biological material that was either wild harvested, cultivated (or farmed) or produced in stainless steel fermenters through the isolation, extraction or production of active ingredients that can be formulated in products such as vaccines, probiotics, water treatment products, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and functional foods. The proposed incubation hub will support four enterprises per year for three years (12 enterprises in total). Each enterprise will employ 10 people, thus creating 120 direct jobs. It is envisaged that each enterprise will employ highly skilled (business, technical and financial), skilled (technical and administrative) and semi-skilled (plant operators) individuals. The project will also create 160 indirect jobs, including equipment maintenance personnel, cleaning services, utility suppliers and jobs in the supply chain, packaging and distribution domains.
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Expected results:
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Permanent jobs with project partners 60
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Time-bound internships completed 60
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