By: Nana
Appiah Acquaye
UniPod Malawi has hosted two
international experts visiting the country under the Experts on Demand (EoD)
initiative to assess Malawi’s cultural and creative industries, with a focus on
digital transformation, export potential and opportunities for growth.
The experts, Elena
Constantinou and Guiomar Alonso Cano, are conducting a rapid assessment as part
of United Nations technical assistance to the Government of Malawi.
The assessment seeks to
better understand the creative sector’s ecosystem, value chains, digital
transformation opportunities, export potential and institutional capacity. Its
findings are expected to help identify practical entry points for coordinated
programmes, partnerships and resource mobilisation to grow the sector.
During their visit, the
experts engaged with the UniPod team to learn about its work in advancing
Malawi’s creative and digital innovation space, including efforts to equip
young people and innovators with the skills, tools and opportunities to
transform ideas into tangible products and services.
Through its Digital Creative
Lab, UniPod provides opportunities in digital design, audio and music
production, photography, immersive technologies, 3D animation and other
emerging creative fields.
The visit also provided an
opportunity to exchange perspectives on how innovation hubs, creative
practitioners, academia, government and development partners can work together
to strengthen creative skills, expand access to technology, support creative
entrepreneurship and connect local talent to wider markets.
“At UniPod, we believe
creativity is more than expression; it is a pathway to innovation, enterprise,
jobs and economic growth,” the organisation said.
UniPod Malawi said it looked
forward to exploring opportunities for collaboration to help the country’s
creative talent thrive locally and reach global audiences.
