The role of the AISI as an industry support mechanism is to:

• Increase the contribution of small enterprises in the economy
• Significantly enhance Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE)
• Raise the levels of direct investment overall, as well as in defined priority sectors
• Increase market access opportunities for and export of South African goods and services
• Contribute towards building skills and technology platforms
• Improvement of the local industry competitiveness
• Ensuring that new technologies are taken up by industry through an active process of innovation

Deliverables of the AISI:

• LINKAGES - Creating the necessary relationships with global stakeholders as a means to acquire the necessary technologies and skills
• LEVERAGES - Move beyond the static client-contractor-type relationship to a new paradigm in which the client is seen as a partner.
• LEARNING - Use these partnerships to improve the existing technologies whilst simultaneously mastering the production and process technologies needed to build new sustainable platforms.