On June 13, 2024, the Royal Academy of Engineering awarded Esther Kimani from Kenya the 10th Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation, Africa’s largest prize for engineering innovation. Kimani, who is the inventor of a solar-powered tool utilising AI and machine learning-enabled cameras to swiftly detect and identify agricultural pests and diseases, is the third woman and the second Kenyan innovator to win the Africa Prize, receiving £50,000.
The three runners up, who were each awarded £15,000 to develop their innovations, were:
Eco Tiles, Kevin Maina, Kenya:
- An environmentally friendly roofing material made from recycled plastic. Stronger and lighter than clay or concrete tiles, the innovation is a dual solution to plastic pollution and high building costs.
- The innovative manufacturing process involves a custom-made extrusion machine that blends different plastics at varying temperatures, eliminating the need for energy-intensive processes like kiln-burning and reducing carbon emissions. The tiles are enhanced with UV stabilisation chemicals and construction sand to improve durability and sturdiness.
La Ruche Health, Rory Assandey, Côte d’Ivoire:
- La Ruche Health connects communities to vital health information, advice, and services through “Kiko”, an AI chatbot tool available on WhatsApp and mobile apps, and a digital backend solution to streamline documentation, billing, and data sharing for practitioners.
- By May 2024, the AI has facilitated over 150,000 user interactions and 189 in-home and teleconsultation appointments, processing over $18,000 in medical billings, illustrating its effectiveness and scalability.
Yo-Waste, Martin Tumusiime, Uganda:
- Addressing Uganda’s mounting waste crisis, Yo-Waste is a location-based mobile application that connects homes and businesses to independent agents for efficient on-demand rubbish collection and disposal.
- Yo-Waste currently serves over 1,500 customers including homes, businesses, and waste collection agents, with a goal to reach 20,000 users by 2026.
If you are an engineering innovator, the Royal Academy of Engineering is offering you an opportunity to walk in the steps of this year’s winners by apply for the 2025 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation. Details are below.
And that’s not all. Menterprise Africa has also compiled for you two other opportunities that you can apply for, alongside vying for the engineering innovation prize.
The Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation
The Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation is looking for engineers and entrepreneurs who have developed, or are in the process of developing, a new technological innovation.
The Africa Prize, founded by the Royal Academy of Engineering, is Africa’s biggest prize dedicated to engineering innovation and awards commercialization support to African innovators developing scalable engineering solutions to local challenges.
Why Apply: This is your opportunity to showcase how engineering can improve quality of life and drive economic development in Africa.
For more details and to apply, visit: https://africaprize.raeng.org.uk/
Opportunity to Pitch Your Startup at AfricArena’s Nairobi Summit
Are you an African tech startup focused on climate tech, agritech, the green economy, or related sectors? This is your chance to showcase your innovation and connect with top investors!
AfricArena, in collaboration with partners including AWS Startups, Silicon Overdrive, and GIZ SAIS, is offering startups the opportunity to pitch their ventures at the upcoming AfricArena Nairobi Summit. This prestigious event, part of Africa Climate Tech Week, will take place from Sunday, 1 September to Wednesday, 4 September in Nairobi, Kenya.
Selected startups will pitch their ideas to over 100 investors and key industry players, giving them a chance to secure the investment needed to scale their ventures.
Application link: https://buff.ly/3WGloMY
Request For Expression Of Interest: Regional Impact Partner Organization, East Africa (Anglophone)
The Mastercard Foundation is inviting Expressions of Interest (EOI) from qualified Regional Impact Partner Organizations (IPOs) to support its Country Program Platforms in East Africa for up to three (3) years. The program covers Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Rwanda.
The IPOs will support in two core areas:
- Program support – strategic design towards impact, including MEL framework design, Theory of Change (ToC) development and learning agendas.
- Impact technical delivery includes impact measurement and evaluations, including baselines, strategic/ programmatic reviews, data quality assurance, quarterly and annual impact reporting, impact innovation work, and impact capacity strengthening.
Eligibility Requirements: They are looking for African-led firms, organizations, or consortia with proven experience and capabilities in the areas mentioned above.
Submission Details: Interested organizations should submit their EOI with the subject line “EOI Regional IPO [Specify the Region to which you are applying]” by September 9th, 2024, to RegionalImpactPartnerOrganization@MASTERCARDFDN.ORG
For more details, visit: https://buff.ly/3SQrHg0
