Applications are open for the sixth edition of the Innovation Prize for Africa (IPA) Awards that’s expected to happen in 2017. Submissions will run for three months – from Tuesday, September 27, 2016 to Tuesday, January 3, 2017 – and it’s open to enterprises and individuals that have invested in delivering market-oriented solutions for African-led development.
IPA is an initiative of the African Innovation Foundation (AIF). Every year, interested startups compete for a chance to be one of the three winners who share the $150,000 prize (basically $5,000 each). Talking about IPA 2017, IPA Director Pauline Mujawamariya Koelbl, said,“We are extremely pleased to officially launch the IPA 2017 edition for African innovators. We strongly believe that investing in today’s home-grown innovations will propel tomorrow’s prosperity for Africa.”
The theme for IPA 2017 is “African innovation: Investing in prosperity”. This theme stems from the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) No. 9 which calls on countries to build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation. AIF believes that funding streams, investment and resources are critical to obtain a clear value chain for innovation in Africa, contributing to sustainable development.
Previous IPA editions have held in Botswana (2016), Morocco (2015), Nigeria (2014), South Africa (2013) and Ethiopia (2012). Last year’s winners were selected from nearly 1,000 entries across 46 countries.
IPA is looking for applications in social and economic innovation including manufacturing and service industry, health and well-being, agriculture and agri-business, environment, energy and water, and ICT showcasing ground-breaking innovations. Other ventures are also welcome to apply, though.
Individuals interested in applying for IPA 2017 should click here.
