Anita Nel 2024 Speaker

Chief Director: Innovation and Commercialisation

Stellenbosch University

Biography

As a well-respected contributor to the international technology transfer fraternity, Anita currently serves on the Alliance of Technology Transfer Professionals adjudication panel for registered technology transfer professional applications and holds several directorships on boards of young and upcoming technology companies.

After gaining experience in a very successful technology startup and venture capital, Anita took up the challenge of joining and restructuring Innovus, the technology transfer office of Stellenbosch Universitywhere she has grown Innovus to become one of the leading university technology transfer offices in Africa and in the process established herself as a thought leader in the industry. As part of this journey, Anita has established the highly successful LaunchLab business incubator at Stellenbosch University and was instrumental in starting and raising the University Technology Fund that provides funding for new technology startups at South African universities.

Anita’s role was expanded to include the university’s commercial division which is responsible for non-research based commercial activities of the university that include shortcourses, copyright, trade marks, residential and catering services, the university’s botanical garden, rental services, transport services, and retail.

She holds a master’s degree in psychology as well as a postgraduate diploma in education and a bachelor’s degree in science.