2016 Innovation Prize for Africa (IPA) Call for Applications

The African Innovation Foundation (AIF) is delighted to announce the call for its 2016 Innovation Prize for Africa (IPA) applications. The IPA honors and encourages innovative achievements that contribute toward developing new products, increasing efficiency or saving cost in Africa. The prize also promotes among young African men and women the pursuit of science, technology and engineering careers as well as business opportunities with potential of contributing to sustainable development in Africa.

The IPA 2016 will consist of three Awards: 

i. First Prize (US$ 100 000): The overall winner whose innovation demonstrates the best innovation with clear business potential 

ii. Second Prize (US$ 25 000): The innovator who best demonstrates a commercially-driven business innovation. Beyond the aforementioned five criteria, this Award will be carefully assessed on its marketability and commercial potential. 

iii. Special Prize for Social Impact (US$ 25,000): The innovation that demonstrates the greatest social impact. 

iv. Nominees: The top-10 nominees shall be invited for face-to-face interviews to assess in depth their innovations as potential winners for the IPA competition. All nominees are invited to participate in the awards ceremony and receive certificates. In addition, the AIF will also provide a US$5 000 voucher to each nominee.

Criteria for selection:

• The uniqueness of their innovations and superiority to similar or alternative solutions; The size and nature of positive social impact that can be attributed to application of their innovation;

•  The potential of the innovation to become a commercial success or sustainable (for social innovations).

Application Guidelines:

• Eligible innovations MUST be by Africans for Africa. Africans in the Diaspora can also apply if their innovations are of significance for Africa.

• A fully completed application form with a full description of the innovation must accompany each submission; if not, the entry will be disqualified.

• The innovation description should clearly illustrate the social and/or economic outcome and impact with regard to African development and the priority area chosen; it should also be in line with the IPA assessment and selection criteria.

• Application forms and description of the innovation should be in English, French or Portuguese. While the innovations can be conducted in any language including local languages, the submissions should be translated and submitted in English, French or Portuguese.

• Applicants are required to attach a letter of support/endorsement from an institution or an authority with knowledge of their innovation. This will serve as a testimony of how important the innovation is in addressing development challenges faced by Africans.

• Each mandatory question on the application form MUST be answered; if not, the application will be deemed incomplete and disqualified.

• There is no application fee and age limit, but the applicant must be in a position to defend their submission at any stage of the process.

How to Apply

You can submit your application online here

Deadline: 31 October 2015 at 23:59 GMT

For more info visit:2016 Innovation Prize for Africa (IPA)  and read the Call for Application for in depth info about the competition