Emerging Technologies and the Structural Transformation of the Economy in Africa: Contributions from Researchers and Startups.

 CONCEPT NOTE SCIENTIFIC WORKSHOP

 1^ST EDITION: 30 june – 02 July 2025
Republic of Cameroon

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1. Background and justification

Through its National Development Strategy (NDS30), Cameroon aspires to become an emerging country by 2035. The integration of emerging technologies within this vision represents a strategic lever to accelerate the country’s socio-economic development and enhance its competitiveness on the international stage. Recognizing this, and the important role that development partners can play, Intellium Global Perspective Group, a national incubator dedicated to strengthening human capital across Africa and offering strategic support to international organizations, is co-organizing a scientific workshop in partnership with OIC-COMSTECH to advance the role of emerging technologies and research  in fostering youth and women’s entrepreneurship, as well as in enhancing scientific and technological cooperation.

COMSTECH (the OIC Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation), based in Islamabad, Pakistan, was established during the third Islamic Summit held in Mecca in January 1981. Its main mandate is to strengthen cooperation among OIC Member States in the fields of Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI), build capacities through training in emerging fields, implement OIC resolutions, and propose programs aimed at boosting scientific and technological competencies in member countries. The ultimate goal is to foster a scientific culture and use STI as a driver for socio-economic development and industrialization.

Scheduled for June 30 –  July 02, 2025, this scientific workshop is part of an ambitious dynamic: to drive Cameroon’s technological transformation, implement the OIC STI Agenda 2026, and strengthen innovation and scientific research ecosystems. The choice of Cameroon as the host country is particularly relevant. As “Africa in miniature”, Cameroon has a robust academic ecosystem, including eight public universities and numerous research centers. Moreover, the NDS30 places innovation and technology at the heart of its transformational vision.

This initiative marks a turning point in South-South scientific cooperation. On the one hand, it allows COMSTECH to strengthen its role as an innovation facilitator, demonstrating its concrete commitment to technological development in its member countries. On the other hand, it creates a replicable model for other countries while bringing STEM researchers together around shared goals. Through capacity building and synergy creation, the workshop paves the way for enhanced collaboration among research laboratories and promotes sustainable university-industry partnerships.

The outlook is promising for both researchers and Cameroon as a whole. Researchers benefit from privileged access to international networks and funding opportunities, while the country strengthens its position as a sub-regional tech hub. Moreover, this scientific workshop aligns perfectly with the objectives of the NDS30. By accelerating digital transformation and strengthening national technological capacities, it directly contributes to the emergence of innovative industries in Cameroon.

Therefore, to ensure the sustainability of outcomes, Intellium Global Perspective and COMSTECH plan to establish a comprehensive follow-up mechanism. This will include the creation of a continuous collaboration platform and a post-workshop mentorship program to ensure continuity of the projects initiated.

This represents a strategic opportunity to durably transform Cameroon’s research and innovation ecosystem. By catalyzing the convergence of academic research, technological innovation, and economic development, the workshop lays the groundwork for a profound transformation of Cameroon’s scientific landscape. Through this holistic approach, Intellium Global Perspective aims to provide a unique local platform to rethink R&D through the lens of DeepTech. This innovative approach opens new avenues for scientific research valorization and propels Cameroon toward sustainable and inclusive technological development.

2. General Objective of the Workshop

The workshop aims to leverage the opportunities offered by OIC-COMSTECH, create a platform for dialogue and reflection on the strategic integration of emerging technologies in the implementation of Cameroon’s NDS30, while strengthening the capacity of local actors in the adoption and application of these technologies.

3. Specific Objectives

Specifically, the workshop seeks to:

• Analyze Cameroon’s current technological ecosystem and identify opportunities for integrating emerging technologies into the priority sectors of NDS30.
• Map out COMSTECH programs aligned with national priorities.
• Deploy a mobility program for Cameroonian and sub-regional researchers and  startups for short-term training in COMSTECH Centers of Excellence (CCoE).
• Build the capacities of stakeholders in R&D (researchers, policymakers, entrepreneurs) on emerging technologies and their transformative potential.
• Facilitate knowledge transfer and experience sharing between international experts and local actors around DeepTech.
• Develop concrete recommendations for a technological roadmap aligned with NDS30.

4. Intervention Logic

The workshop will include 2 plenary sessions, 2 panel discussions, 2 masterclasses, 2 workshops, and 1 project pitch session. Below is a proposed program structure:

Tentative Program :

5. Target audience for the scientific workshop

In the current context, this scientific workshop will bring together:

• Researchers from the Ministry of Higher Education (MINESUP) and the Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation (MINRESI), with priority given to heads of laboratories, department heads, and engineers;
• Any researcher capable of leading a technology-oriented project, regardless of academic rank;
• Postgraduate research students;
• Startup founders;
• Company executives: General Managers, COOs, CTOs, CFOs, HR Directors, etc.

6. Expected outcomes

a. In-depth understanding

• Enhanced understanding of the challenges and opportunities related to emerging technologies, and the opportunities offered by COMSTECH;
• Clear identification of technological priorities for the NDS30;
• Mapping of stakeholders and available resources.

b. Capacity building

• Improved skills in emerging technologies;
• Acquisition of methodologies for transforming research into enterprises;
• Development of professional networks.

c. Tangible deliverables

• A detailed report outlining the current state and key recommendations;
• A list of specific programs for Cameroon and the sub-region that COMSTECH could support.
• A roadmap for the integration of emerging technologies;
• A portfolio of potential DeepTech projects;
• A post-workshop action plan for follow-up and continuity.

7. Institutional partners

Depending on time and protocol, the workshop may be held under the High Patronage of the Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation (MINRESI). Other government ministries may collaborate with MINRESI depending on their mandate—such as the Ministry of Higher Education (MINESUP), the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (MINPOSTEL), the Ministry of Decentralization and Local Development (MINDEVEL), the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Regional Development (MINEPAT), the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MINADER), etc.—as well as local chambers of commerce, chambers of agriculture, and active foundations.

• LIST OF POTENTIAL SPEAKERS