royal-academy-for-engineering-innovators

Application Deadline: 25 July 2023 (4pm BST).

The Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation, founded by the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2014, is Africa’s biggest prize dedicated to developing African innovators, and assisting them to maximise their impact. It awards crucial commercialisation support to ambitious African innovators developing scalable engineering solutions to address local challenges, demonstrating the importance of engineering as an enabler of improved quality of life and economic development.

The Royal Academy of Engineering has opened applications for the 2024 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation as the programme approaches its 10^th anniversary. The Africa Prize supports ambitious entrepreneurs and innovators developing local and scalable solutions to everyday challenges on the continent.

The Africa Prize will welcome its tenth cohort in November 2023. Since 2014, the programme has supported more than 130 entrepreneurs across 20 African countries with a rigorous business training programme and lifelong support through the Africa Prize alumni network. More than 70% of the alumni’s engineering and technology businesses now generate revenue. Between them the Africa Prize alumni have raised more than USD 14 million in grants and equity funding, and created more than 3,600 jobs, almost half of them for women.

The Africa Prize is now looking for the next 16 promising innovators with engineering technologies to improve lives, launching applications today at the 10^th Sankalp Africa Summit in Nairobi, Kenya – an event that showcases the entrepreneurial ecosystem working towards sustainable development in Africa.

Requirements

African entrepreneurs from all engineering disciplines, and with an innovation that can provide scalable solutions to local challenges, are invited to enter the tenth round of the Africa Prize.
Applications are now open to individuals or small teams living and working in sub-Saharan Africa.
Submitted innovations should have a social, economic or environmental benefit, and should be at an early stage of development, with the potential for upscaling and commercialisation.
The Prize is open to hardware and software innovations, as well as innovative processes and systems.

Benefits

The winner of the Africa Prize receives £25,000 and three runners-up are each awarded £10,000.
Up to 16 shortlisted applicants receive a unique package of support over eight months to help them accelerate their businesses, including comprehensive and tailored business training, sector specific engineering mentoring, communications support, pitching opportunities and access to the Academy’s network of high profile, experienced engineers and business experts in the UK and across Africa.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the Royal Academy of Engineering Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation 2024

Application Deadline: July 19th 2022

The Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation, founded by the Royal Academy of Engineering, is Africa’s biggest prize dedicated to engineering innovation. Now in its eighth year, the Prize awards commercialisation support to African innovators developing scalable engineering solutions to local challenges. These innovations show the importance of engineering in improving quality of life and economic development.

The Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation was launched in March 2014 to stimulate, celebrate and reward innovation and entrepreneurship across sub-Saharan Africa.

Since then it has provided invaluable training, mentoring and communications support to 102 businesses across 16 countries. It also has an established alumni programme with 71% of Africa Prize alumni currently generating revenue. Our alumni have also raised $14 million in grants and equity.

Eligibility criteria:
The application must be written in English.
The applicant must have a high level of English language proficiency in order to participate fully in the programme as this is conducted entirely in English.
The lead applicant must be over the age of 18 when applications close on 19 July 2022. There is no upper age limit.
Previous shortlist members or winners are not eligible to participate in the programme again, nor is anyone who was involved in their team or innovation.
Applicants can apply as an individual or as part of a team.
The lead applicant must be a citizen of a country in sub-Saharan Africa. For teams of two or more, the lead applicant (the person participating in training) must be a citizen of a country in sub-Saharan Africa.
The lead applicant must be ordinarily based in sub-Saharan Africa; if based overseas, this must be temporary for studies or otherwise.
The innovation must be based in a country in sub-Saharan Africa.
The lead applicant must have an engineering innovation, although they are not required to be an engineering graduate or student to apply.
The lead applicant must provide a letter of support from a university, research institution, innovation hub or previous incubator programme. This can be as simple as stating that an individual studied at or was involved with that institution. If applicants are not affiliated with any organisation, another document proving the status of their organisation or innovation, such as a document of incorporation or patent certificate, may be used.
Industrial researchers and establishments are not eligible.

Benefits

Support , funding and opportunities for African entrepreneurs

The Africa Prize offers a unique benefits package for up to 16 shortlisted participants to help accelerate their business including:

Access to business and technical expertise and sector specific engineering mentoring

Bespoke press coverage and communications support
Seven month tailored training programme

Access to the Academy’s network of high profile engineers and business experts in the UK and Africa.
Opportunity for finalists to present their innovation to a judging panel at the Africa prize showcase event
Prize money of up to £25,000

How to Apply:

All applications must be submitted via the online grants system, applicants should ensure they read the guidance notes (Africa Prize 2023 guidance notes are below) as well as the FAQ and eligibility pages before submitting their application.

Application guidance notes. (2.15 MB)

Online grants system To apply for the Africa Prize you must first register an account on our Grant Management System (GMS), which you will be prompted to do. Once in GMS, please select ‘Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation 2022/2023’ to start your application.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the Royal Academy of Engineering Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation 2023

Royal Academy of Engineering Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation 2024 in Sub-Saharan Africa (£25,000 Prize)

Royal Academy of Engineering Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation 2023 in Sub-Saharan Africa (£25,000 Prize)

Support , funding and opportunities for African entrepreneurs