Deadline 20th July 2021

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

An eight-month period of tailored training and mentoring 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 

• The application must be written in English.
• The lead applicant must be over the age of 18 when applications close on 20 July 2021. There is no upper age limit.
• 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, though 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.

• The 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, including: 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.
• The innovation must be at technology readiness level 3 or above. Evidence of a prototype should be provided in the application. To learn more about technology readiness levels, please see the link below: 
  https://www.cloudwatchhub.eu/exploitation/brief-refresher-technology-readiness-levels-trl
• The lead applicant must provide a letter of consent from the originators/collaborators of the IP to this innovation, where relevant.
• The lead applicant must provide a technical diagram and photo that showcases the technical aspects of the innovation as part of the application.
• Applicants should have developed, and be in the early stages of commercialising, an engineering innovation that:

1. ​Will bring social and/or environmental benefits to a country/countries in sub-Saharan Africa
2. Has strong potential to be replicated and scaled up
3. Is accompanied by an ambitious but realistic business plan which has strong commercial viability

How to Apply

Applications for the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation 2022 are now open.

All applications must be submitted via the online grants system, applicants should ensure they read the guidance notes (Africa Prize 2022 guidance notes are below) as well as the FAQ and eligibility pages before submitting their application.

Application guidance notes. (2.36 MB)

Online grants system (You must first register an account, which you will be prompted to do)

For any further enquiries, please contact the Africa Prize team.

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