The African Innovation Foundation (AIF) has called for entries for the 2014 Innovation Prize for Africa (IPA).
The prestigious prize aims at encouraging innovations that contribute to sustainable development in Africa. The winning submission will be awarded a prize of $100 000, with two additional $25 000 prizes, one for the runner up with an innovation with the best business potential and the other one for the runner up with the innovation with the best social impact.
In an effort to drive African-led development, the IPA invites African entrepreneurs and innovators to propose projects that unlock new African potential under one of five categories which include: agriculture and agribusiness; environment, energy and water; health and wellbeing; ICT applications; and manufacturing and services industries.
“The IPA team believes that the best way to build Africa’s capacity is to invest in local innovation and entrepreneurship. This prize encourages Africans to develop creative ways to overcome everyday challenges,” says AIF founder, Jean-Claude Bastos de Morais.
The IPA 2013 was awarded to South Africa’s AgriProtein for its innovative approach to nutrient recycling – a method that uses waste and fly larvae to produce natural animal feed.
The 2013 prize also recognised two additional winners for their contributions to African innovation.
In the business potential category, Hassine Labaied and Anis Aouini from Saphon Energy (Tunisia) received $25 000 for creating a bladeless wind convertor. In the social impact category, Sanoussi Diakite (Senegal) received $25 000 for developing and distributing a thermal powered machine that husks 5kg of fonio – an important and healthy West African cereal – in just eight minutes.
This innovation increases accessibility to a nutritious African staple food source and addresses challenges associated with its consumption.