The Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) has announced the launch of the first Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation, calling for entries from engineers connected with universities and research institutions in Sub-Saharan African countries.
The Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation covers all disciplines from mechanical, civil and computing to biomedical, oil and gas, mining and electronic engineering, and is Africa’s biggest prize devoted to engineering innovation.
Malcolm Brinded, a fellow of the RAEng and chair of the judging panel for the prize, said: “Engineering is crucial to social and economic development in South Africa and internationally. The Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation aims to recognise the importance of African engineers and to stimulate innovation and entrepreneurship, while encouraging young people to become engineers by creating successful role models.
“This new competition is designed to incentivise engineers to use their passion to develop innovative solutions to their country’s challenges. The Africa Prize will demonstrate how engineering is at the heart of economic development.”
Engineers from different disciplines have been invited to submit innovations with a social, environmental or economic benefit. Entries must have the potential to be scaled-up, be ready for commercialisation and at an early-stage. The deadline for entries is Friday, 30 May 2014.
The overall winner will receive GBP25,000 (US$41,000) and there will be an exhibition of all finalists’ entries. Shortlisted entrants will benefit from six months of extensive mentoring, training and support in commercialising their innovation.
“By encouraging talented engineers to apply their technical and entrepreneurial skills to development challenges in South Africa and the wider continent, we can help build stronger engineering capability, better equipped to develop scalable solutions to all kinds of local and regional challenges,” said Brinded.
“Over the year-long competition, we look forward to seeing great engineering ideas become viable projects that grow economies and improve societies.”
The Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation is supported by the Shell Centenary Scholarship Fund, Consolidated Contractors Company, Conoco Philips and the Mo Ibrahim Foundation.
