Entrepreneurs, innovators and inventors from Africa now have more time to submit their applications for the Innovation Prize Award for Africa (IPA) following the organisers’ decision to extend the application deadline to November 2013.
The organizers said that the decision to extend the deadline was “due to the high demand from African innovators.” However, it is reported that there was limited response from Francophone and Lusophone countries, hence the decision to extend the deadline.
“We know that innovation can be an engine for economic development. We continue to look for innovations that have commercial potential and are effective in the long term,” said Pauline Mujawamariya of the African Innovation Fund.
“We want to encourage young people across the continent to be interested in science, technology and engineering as rewarding careers.” Eskedar Nega, program officer in ICT policy at UNECA, said.
The African Innovation Foundations (AIF) and the United Nations Economic Commission organise the awards for Africa (ECA). According to the two, the Africans in Diaspora are also encouraged to apply for the IPA (http://innovationprizeforafrica.org/) 2013.
The second of its kind in Africa, this year’s IPA prize winner was Professor Mohamed Sanad, who had a project creating low cost, deployable, multi-band base station antenna.
The venue for the 2013 event will be announced in March next year.
