Call for applications: Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation

Since it was founded by the UK's Royal Academy of Engineering in 2014, the prize has shortlisted a long list of innovative creations, including a SIM-card swapping service in Kenya, an online student-to-teacher platform in Nigeria, a fertiliser applicator in Zambia, a low-cost water filtration system by a Tanzanian and a music app in Cameroon. 

The prize encourages ambitious and talented sub-Saharan engineers to apply their skills to develop scalable solutions to local challenges, highlighting the importance of engineering as an enabler of improved quality of life and economic development.

The aim of the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation is to stimulate, celebrate and reward innovation and entrepreneurship in sub-Saharan Africa.

Applications are welcome from engineering innovators in sub-Saharan Africa who have developed an innovative service or product that can provide scalable solutions to local challenges, with a particular emphasis on sustainable social and economic development. Engineers from all disciplines are invited to enter, as well as those without an engineering background who are working on an engineering-related innovation.

Applicants must have developed (or co-developed), or be in the process of developing (or co-developing) a new technological innovation. Applicants should have the ambition to take a leading role in creating a new business to commercialise this innovation.

The closing date for applications is 23 July 2018 (4pm GMT). All applications must be submitted via the online grant system.

Following the closing date, a shortlist of applicants will be identified to receive an eight-month package of mentoring and training. The mentoring and training will be structured to give participants the skills and knowledge to:

• Further develop their technology.
• Strengthen and develop their existing business plans.
• Successfully communicate their innovations through pitching.
• Forge links with potential partners, investors and customers.
• Move towards commercialisation.

The training will take various formats but will require that during the eight months successful applicants can commit sufficient time to these activities. All reasonable costs are covered to attend and participate in these activities. The overall winner will receive £25 000 (or local currency equivalent). Runners-up will also receive a cash prize of £10 000 each. 

For more information on applying for the 2019 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation, click here.