The Royal Academy of Engineering is calling for applications from engineers and entrepreneurs for the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation 2021. This is an opportunity for engineers in Sub-Sahara Africa with engineering-related innovations.
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About The Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation
The Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation was founded by the Royal Academy of Engineering. It is Africa’s biggest prize dedicated to engineering innovation. It awards crucial commercialisation support to ambitious African innovators who are developing scalable engineering solutions to local challenges. Also, to those demonstrating the importance of engineering as an enabler of improved quality of life and economic development.
The aim of the prize is to stimulate, celebrate, and reward innovation and entrepreneurship in sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore, the Royal Academy of Engineering is inviting applications from entrepreneurs and engineers in sub-Saharan Africa who have developed an innovative product. They are calling on all engineers who have developed services that can provide scalable solutions to local challenges, with a particular emphasis on sustainable social and economic development.
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How It Works
Applicants with engineering-related innovations from all disciplines are invited to enter, whether or not the applicant themselves have an engineering background. They will have access to a seven-month period of tailored training and mentoring which culminates in a showcase event where a winner is selected to receive £25,000 along with three runners-up, who are each awarded £10,000.
Eligibility Criteria
You are eligible to apply if you meet up the following requirement;
- Developed or be in the process of developing a new technological innovation.
- Have the ambition to take a leading role in creating a new business to commercialise this innovation.
- You must be an individual or a small team.
- As an individual applicant, you must be citizens of a country in sub-Saharan Africa while for the teams of two or more, the lead applicant must be a citizen of a country in sub-Saharan Africa.
- Innovation must be based in a country in sub-Saharan Africa
- You must have an engineering innovation, though you are not required to be an engineering graduate or student.
- Applicants 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 your organisation or innovation, such as a document of incorporation or patent certificate may be used.
- The lead applicant must be over the age of 18 by 1 September 2020. There is no upper age limit.
- Industrial researchers and establishments are not eligible.
- The applicant’s innovation can be any new product, technology or service, based on research in engineering defined in its broadest sense to encompass a wide range of fields. This includes but is not limited to agricultural technology, biotechnology, chemical engineering, civil engineering, computer science, design engineering, electrical and electronic engineering, ICT, materials science, mechanical engineering, and medical engineering. If you are in any doubt that your area of expertise would be considered engineering, then please contact the Academy to discuss your application.
- Applicants should have developed, and be in the early stages of commercialising, an engineering innovation that:
Will bring social and/or environmental benefits to a country/countries in sub-Saharan Africa;
Has strong potential to be replicated and scaled-up;
Is accompanied by an ambitious but realistic business plan which has strong commercial viability.
How To Apply For The Africa Prize For Engineering Innovation
The application form has six sections and will take approximately one and a half to two hours to complete. Sections of the application form include;
- Applicant details
- Your innovation
- Your business plan
- About you
- Supporting information and declaration
- Marketing
The applications close on 14 September 2020 at 4 pm GMT+1. You can submit your application through an online grant system, using this link https://grants.raeng.org.uk.
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