Open: £85,000 prize pool for sub-Saharan African innovators
An eight-month, equity-free commercialisation programme and prize for scalable engineering solutions to local sustainable-development challenges.
Use when
You have a functioning engineering or software innovation with early traction and measurable benefit for sub-Saharan Africa.
Skip when
The project is idea-only, purely research, not based in sub-Saharan Africa, or cannot support an English application and eight-month commitment.
Status (20 Aug 2026): OPEN for the 2027 prize; Stage 1 deadline is 8 September 2026 at 16:00 UTC+1. Up to 16 innovators receive training and mentoring. Prize pot: £85,000 - £50,000 winner, three £10,000 runners-up and a £5,000 audience award. Applicants must be adults, citizens and ordinarily based in sub-Saharan Africa, with an engineering-based innovation beyond idea stage and in early commercialisation. The programme is free and takes no equity.
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