Applications have opened for the Global Young Innovators Programme, a free programme offered to 60 of the best and brightest young innovators and entrepreneurs in South Africa and the UK to come together to tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges.
Aimed at 18-30 year-old individuals with bright, early-stage ideas and/or founders of early start-ups, the primarily virtual programme will task applicants with co-designing projects to tackle five of the global challenges.
On Wednesday (9 December), the programme will be launched in South Africa and in the UK by Innovate UK.
The Global Young Innovators Programme was designed by #IdeasMeanBusiness and Innovate UK to remove barriers and create a performance driven-environment for young entreprenuers to collaborate, generate impactful ideas, and take those ideas to market.
Thirty 30 South African and 30 UK young residents with forward-thinking entrepreneurial minds will be chosen to participate, coming together to ignite ideas and co-design solutions that can help solve challenges facing our global community.
The programme offers the following:
* A five-day virtual boot camp
* Collaboration with bright young minds both in the UK and in South Africa.
* A three- to nine-month programme, business support and mentoring.
* Six-stage innovation webinar series.
* Two-day pitch virtual training.
* Access to seed funding at R200 000, for 15 of the best projects.
* Access to industry leaders and innovation experts.
* Action plan, business plan and funding application.
South African residents aged 18-30 with a smart idea or an early stage or start-up business who are able to generate an idea or solution to solve one of five key global challenges and eager to collaborate with young UK innovators.
The Five Global Challenges are:
* Low-Carbon – Innovations that can support the move towards a low-carbon economy.
* Infrastructure – Innovations with a mission to support the sustainable expansion of our cities, rural communities and infrastructure.
* Urban and Rural Communities – Innovations which can create a positive impact on urban and rural communities, transforming them in sustainable ways whilst working to maintain their heritage and cultural access; supporting access to and retaining clean water and sanitation.
* Education – Innovative products and services which can improve education and training.
* Quality Healthcare – Innovative ideas and solutions to improve the quality of healthcare provision.
Programme dates and events in 2020-2021:
* 9 December 2020 – Launch event.
* 8 January 2021 – Programme applications close.
* 15 January 2021 – Successful applicants appointed and announced.
* 24 January 2021 – Programme and five-day boot camp starts