Telkom Innovation
At Telkom, we believe that innovation should be a valued and intrinsic part of our culture. That is why we encourage, recognise and reward robust ideas that can leapfrog current operating conventions and bolster revenue.
Whether these ideas come from within our organisation – or are invited from outside – they are intended to stimulate job creation and develop enterprises where digital skills and technology are opening doors for people to create their own future.
The Telkom Group also has a large AI team, based at BCX and across the group, an uncommon feature in telecommunications companies. Telkom has partnered with specialist organisations over the years to train young people in data sciences to ensure a pipeline of new entrants to build forward-looking technologies in our Business Units.
“The best way to predict the future, is to create it.”
~ Peter Drucker ~
The Telkom Industry Solutions Lab has a strategic partnership in collaboration with the University of the Witwatersrand, which has resulted in a much-lauded Research and Development centre. Here multi-disciplinary teams deliver disruptive innovation and state-of-the-art transformative digital products and services for various industries. Ambitious ideation in the lab translates research-driven innovation into commercially viable solutions to societal issues.
Accelerating company-wide innovation, inclusion and future readiness.
As a purpose-led, future-focused organisation, Telkom has entrenched innovation by instituting a dedicated Innovation and Transformation Office that works across business units to unlock game-changing solutions, inclusive development and research-driven progress. The office supports the Group’s overarching strategy by enabling smarter operations, enhanced customer experiences, and a strong innovation pipeline to promote future growth.
The intention is to collaborate with all business units to drive bold, high-impact initiatives across key pillars in the business.
It is this strong internal innovation enablement capability that continually empowers employees to drive transformative change. This is evidenced by our ability to identify and implement employee-driven solutions through initiatives like the annual Telkom Innovation Challenge, which culminates in the legendary Telkom Lion’s Den.
Employee innovation showcase
Winning Ideas at Lion’s Den
Collaboration in action
This innovation challenge celebrates the introduction of successful products and services, such as the deployment of AI-powered tools across the group. These have served to streamline operations and enhance customer experiences, while fostering a culture where practical, tech-enabled solutions are consistently generated and integrated into the company’s workflows.
Watch: Highlights from Telkom Lion’s Den
In addition, Telkom's Centres of Excellence (CoEs) partner with academic institutions to drive focused research in critical disciplines like cybersecurity and data science. These initiatives collectively cultivate a skilled workforce which produces valuable intellectual property to ensure that Telkom remains at the forefront of digital innovation.
We are intent on building a strong future-focused research and development capability. This will enable us to anticipate and lead technological advancements through strategic partnerships with academic institutions and industry experts.
We prioritise applied technology research and development and invest in Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and 5G/6G networks. This focus aims to solve critical societal challenges within key sectors such as health, education, and agriculture.
Aiming to solve critical societal challenges within key sectors such as health, education, and agriculture.Through in-depth research and development, Telkom seeks to optimise operational efficiency and pioneer solutions, ensuring that these technologies translate into tangible, value-added products and services.
Telkom further prioritises the development of ICT skills and the generation of intellectual property through strategic collaborations. The annual SATNAC conference, featuring its Industry Solutions Challenge, fosters practical solutions by challenging students to solve real-world, industry problems.
In addition, Telkom's Centres of Excellence (CoEs) partner with academic institutions to drive focused research in critical disciplines like cybersecurity and data science. These initiatives collectively cultivate a skilled workforce which produces valuable intellectual property to ensure that Telkom remains at the forefront of digital innovation.