Staff Writer 
ZIMBABWE must revitalise its capital markets to attract investment into technology-driven businesses and harness the country’s intellectual capacity to compete in the global knowledge economy, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Zimbabwe (SecZim) has said.
Addressing delegates in Bulawayo, SecZim acting chief executive officer Commissioner Tichaona Mushambadope called for deliberate policy interventions to strengthen investment channels and help local businesses commercialise innovation.
He cited United States technology giant Nvidia as an example of the value that technology companies can generate through innovation and investor confidence.
“These guys are doing nothing, nothing else, except creating tech products. What is it that stops us?” officer commissioner Mushambadope said.
“We have brilliant minds. We pride ourselves on sitting at the apex of academia as a nation. But let’s translate this, because now globally we are at a moment where we are in a knowledge economy.”
Mushambadope said Zimbabwe needed to move beyond academic achievement and focus on converting knowledge and research into commercially viable products and services.
He said stronger links between technology, investment and capital markets were necessary to provide innovative businesses with funding to develop and expand their operations.
“Let’s move and be deliberate about that. And this is where you marry investment and the capital markets,” added Mushambadope.
The SecZim chief also urged policymakers and market participants to take concrete measures to revive and modernise the country’s capital markets, which mobilise savings and channel funds into productive economic activities.
“I think, as the regulator of the capital markets, I’m just saying to the team and policymakers, let’s make deliberate actions to revive, revitalise, revamp our capital markets,” he said.His remarks come amid growing global demand for technology, digital services and intellectual property, which are increasingly driving economic growth.
Against this backdrop, Mushambadope said revitalising Zimbabwe’s capital markets was critical to mobilising investment for local innovators, enabling them to commercialise ideas, scale up technology-driven businesses and compete in the global knowledge economy.
