SA engineers invited to compete for new innovation award

2 April 2014 News

The UK’s Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) has launched an innovation competition for engineers from South Africa and other sub-Saharan countries. Engineers connected with universities and research institutions in this region are invited to compete for a grand prize of £25 000 in the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation.

This is Africa’s biggest prize devoted to engineering innovation, covering all disciplines from mechanical, civil and computing to biomedical, oil and gas, mining and electronic engineering.

Liesbeth Botha, of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and one of the awards judges, commended the RAEng for launching the new prize. “The Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation will show how African engineers build countries, communities and economies, and put the spotlight on our education system to deliver professional engineers into the economy with the right knowledge and skills,” said Botha.

Engineers from all disciplines are invited to submit innovations with a social, economic or environmental benefit. Entries must be early-stage innovations which have the potential to be scaled up and are ready for commercialisation. The deadline for entries is Friday 30 May 2014.

A shortlist of entrants will benefit from six months of extensive mentoring, training and support in commercialising their innovation. The overall winner will receive £25 000 and there will be an exhibition of all finalists’ entries.

The competition is supported by the Shell Centenary Scholarship Fund, Consolidated Contractors Company, ConocoPhilips and the Mo Ibrahim Foundation.

For more information visit www.raeng.org.uk/AfricaPrize

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