Steadi does it
STEADIDRONE – the Knysna-based unmanned aircraft developer and manufacturer – received excellent news from up north last month, when it was announced as winner of the 2013 Step-Up Technology Innovation Awards hosted in Pretoria on November 21.
The awards programme is a robust new commercialisation support programme that kicked off in Joburg on May 22. The Step-Up Technology Innovation Competition aims to fast-track the business development of technology innovations.
Sponsored by government’s Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) and Sasol’s enterprise development vehicle, ChemCity, itaims to identify innovations in the health and biotechnology, chemicals, mining and manufacturing, information and communication technologies, food and agriculture, energy and green environment sectors.
The prize gained by SteadiDrone owner Duran de Villiers and his team includes a Microsoft Business Package, business workshops, and introductions to various investors and international networks.
What’s more, they were selected to attend an international business competition in Italy next year, where they will compete against the best business ideas in the world and take part in a week-long event with workshops, investors rendezvous and much more.
Owned and run by Duran and his wife Alexa,SteadiDrone develops, manufactures and exportsits systems to a global dealership network.According to those in the know, this wholly local enterprise is SA’s most successful unmanned aircraft manufacturer, even eclipsing military vendor Denel in terms of units sold.
In the words of one of the Step-Up judges,”SteadiDrone is the face of South African technology innovation”. How cool is that?! Visit www.steadidrone.com andwww.step-up.org.za to find out more.
