Cape Town-based ‘techpreneur’ incubation hub The Creative Lab has announced that it will mark its first anniversary with the launch of a diverse array of cutting-edge products, developed by a number of South African innovators, using the hub’s facilities. The Creative Lab is an initiative of EvansWerks.

“Opening The Creative Lab was a leap of faith for my family,” highlighted EvansWerks CEO and founder Justin Eugene Evans. “Today, we’re witnessing the dividends of that investment, proving the abundance of tech talent in South Africa. They simply lacked a facility designed to bring their ideas to life.”

Tech pioneers who have used the lab’s facilities include a Cape Town dentist, who has developed a “revolutionary” dental system designed to streamline orthodontic procedures and minimise nerve pain. A visually-impaired woman has developed an accessory that turns phones and tablets into vision-assist devices for those with impaired sight, yet is portable and affordable. And the security head of the Proteas Cricket Team has developed a laser-based handgun training system for police and military forces, which eliminated the need to use ammunition.

“We offer a turnkey solution for entrepreneurs, providing a full spectrum of expertise from concept, product design and IP [intellectual property] to engineering and marketing, all under one roof,” explained EvansWerks COO and in-house IP attorney Nicolé Maré. “And, all in a Cape Town facility that generates its own power and harvests its own water from the air.”

The lab is comprehensively equipped with latest technology machines. These include CNC workstations, metal 3D printers, and a 160 t injection moulding machine. It is continually expanding its facilities.

The mission of The Creative Lab is to drive local manufacturing. “We’re not just pioneers in South Africa; we’re leading the charge continent-wide, fostering a team of engineers tackling some of the nation’s most thrilling engineering challenges,” affirmed chief technology officer Shuaib Badat.

“A few successful tech ventures can redefine the Western Cape’s economic landscape,” pointed out Evans. “That’s the driving force behind our lab’s existence.”