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7 September 2015

Innovation ZA - a celebration of digital creativity

Innovation ZA 2015 - a month long celebration of digital creativity - is well underway. We're catching up with some of the cool events which have been popping up in and around Jo’burg.

Fak’ugesi; Zulu for “switch it on” and the name of the Johannesburg digital innovation festival we've teamed up with this summer. Innovation ZA is a series of events and happenings, inviting people to get hands on with technology, creatively collaborate and hear from some of the UK and South Africa's finest futurist minds. 

Many of Innovation ZA's workshop leaders and speakers are women, highlighting the impact of young female leaders in the world of technology and digital arts. You can listen to one of the curators/creators, Jepchumba on BBC Click here

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE Market Hack

The Grove at Southpoint. Sat 29 August.

Robotic arms, wearable game controllers, 3D printers, and a virtual reality headset... all for visitors and passers-by to engage with for free, on stalls at Innovation ZA's pop-up digital makers market.

© Christo Doherty

On a normal Saturday, the Grove on Melle Street, Braamfontein – which has become a hub for art, music and good food – is bustling with people. This little corner is a bright and busy gem in the middle of our largely grey, poured concrete city.

Yesterday, there was even more activity than usual, as makers and hackers from South Africa and abroad descended on the courtyard to set up for the Market Hack. Both young and old, tech-savvy and tech-uninitiated, had an opportunity to create, experiment, and play.

Amy van Houten, southafricancyborg.com

The Ultimaker Stall

© Christo Doherty

3D printing wizards Ultimaker were churning out plastic, micron by mircron all day. One lucky Star Wars fan took home this piece of sci-fi movie memorabilia. (see below)

© Amy van Houten

The Occulus VR Stall

© Christo Doherty

The virtual reality set-up gave this young girl a 360-degree immersive experience, whisking her from sunny Jo'burg to a voyage across Arctic ice. Try out Polar Sea 360° below. (via DEEP Inc.)

The Kano Stall 

© Amy van Houten

This is a computer anyone can make, like LEGO with processing power. You build and code it yourself, step by step. The kits were on hand for curious children and big kids to mess around with. Learn more about the Kano here.

© Amy van Houten

The programme continues throughout September. Find out about what's still to come here.