Base Five champions inclusive tech innovation with Smart Robotics Lab launch
Base Five, a women-led innovation agency, partnered with DUT to open a robotics lab aimed at equipping underserved youth with future-ready skills in AI, automation, and smart manufacturing.
A Sandton based innovation agency, Base Five, is emerging as one of Africa’s most future-focused drivers of tech enabled transformation, building the systems, spaces, and strategies needed for an inclusive Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).
On June 24, the agency marked a major milestone with the launch of the DUT Smart Robotics Lab at Durban University of Technology’s Ritson Campus.
This flagship initiative, delivered in partnership with DUT, Moses Kotane Research Institute (MKRI), and merSETA, exemplifies how cross-sector collaboration can unlock real-world opportunities in robotics, AI, and smart manufacturing, particularly for underserved communities.
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Base Five CEO and co-founder Tlengelani Manzini said: “At Base Five, we don’t react to the future; we build it, intentionally, inclusively, and intelligently. Our role is to help institutions, industries, and community’s transition into the 4IR with purpose, activating real-world innovation that speaks to both opportunity and equity.”
Founded in 2014, Base Five has evolved into a specialist consultancy and implementation agency that merges deep technical expertise with social and economic impact.
From AI adoption and ethical policy consulting to the creation of immersive learning environments and innovation hubs, the company is setting a new standard for how Africa can lead in technology on its own terms.
Base Five COO and co-founder Daisy Mulenga added: “We care about how people experience technology, not just how it performs. Everything we build is about usability, access, and impact. Whether we’re in a classroom or a corporate boardroom, we’re always asking who benefits, and how?”
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The Smart Robotics Lab embodies this philosophy. Through practical, hands-on training in robotics and automation, the facility introduces learners to tools and skills that prepare them for future ready careers.
It provides a platform for local innovation enabling students and educators to build, experiment, and imagine new possibilities for African industry.
“We’re not here to automate for automation’s sake,” Manzini concluded. “We want to help African institutions and brands lead from the front using smart tools that are locally relevant, globally competitive, and anchored in purpose.”
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