Are you a young African entrepreneur who has created a new and helpful solution that has shown positive results in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Africa? apply now for your Africa Youth SDG Innovation Award. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to showcase your innovative solution and make a difference in Africa! Submit your application today and stand a chance to win the Africa Youth SDG Innovation Award.
The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), along with its Subregional office for Southern Africa (SRO-SA), is collaborating with the African Youth SDG Summit and AfriLabs to highlight the innovative abilities of young entrepreneurs in Africa. This initiative seeks to acknowledge and commend remarkable entrepreneurial endeavors by young individuals who have effectively created innovative solutions to address specific development challenges faced by businesses, governments, households, and communities. Moreover, these efforts should contribute to the advancement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Eligibility
The Africa Youth SDG Innovation Award is open to:
This opportunity is open to Africans who were between the ages of 18 and 35 as of December 31, 2022.
To be eligible, they should have created an original innovative product or process that addresses a specific development issue in society and has shown a measurable impact on the achievement of the SDGs. The innovation may have already been brought to the commercial market or be on the verge of being commercialized.
It is important that the product or process is original and was developed no earlier than December 31, 2016.
Funding Benefit
The six (6) winners of this award will have the opportunity to showcase their innovation at the Africa Youth SDG Innovation Award Summit, which will take place in Lusaka, Zambia in August 2023. The travel expenses for the winners will be covered by ECA.
The winners will be invited to participate in a training program on innovation organized by ECA SRO-SA specifically for small and medium-sized enterprises. This training will be conducted between 2023 and 2024, and ECA will cover the costs associated with attending in person.
ECA SRO-SA will sponsor the winners’ travel expenses and participation in the Africa Tech Festival, which will be held in Cape Town, South Africa from November 14 to 16, 2023.
Application Process
To apply for the Africa Youth SDG Innovation Award, applicants must submit a pitch deck consisting of up to 15 slides in PPT format, along with an accompanying narrative in Word format.
Both the pitch deck and the narrative should cover the same content and include the following information:
- Briefly explain the development problem that your innovation aims to address.
- Provide a clear description of your innovative solution.
- Explain why your solution is considered innovative.
- Discuss how your innovative solution has a positive impact on society and contributes to the achievement of specific SDGs. Highlight the relevant SDGs.
- Describe the process of conceiving, designing, applying, and potentially commercializing your innovation. Also, introduce the team members involved in the development.
Share any challenges you encountered during the development and commercialization phases of your innovation, and explain how you overcame them. - Provide a summary of the business model that can be used to commercialize your innovation, and discuss its potential for scalability.
- Indicate the stage of development of your business (e.g., idea stage, Minimum Viable Product (MVP), established business, gaining traction, etc.), and include relevant figures where possible (such as Monthly Active Users, Monthly Recurring Revenues, etc.).
Describe how you envision the market for your innovation evolving and outline your future plans. - Include any other pertinent information that you believe should be considered, such as challenges in obtaining patents for your innovation.
- Remember to keep the pitch deck within 15 slides and ensure the accompanying narrative is no more than 1500 words.
Submission Requirement
When you submit your application, please make sure to complete the Google form with the following information:
- Full name
- Country of birth
- Country of citizenship
- Date of birth
- The physical address of your company
- Website link of your company (if available)
- Email address
- Cell phone number
- Registration/license number of your company (if applicable)
In addition, please upload the requested documents as specified on the Google form, including:
- Copy of your passport
- Proof of your business license (if applicable)
- Ensure that all the information and documents provided are accurate and up-to-date.
To submit
- The submission should be made by June 11, 2023, through the Google application form
- Submissions can be in English or French.
- The delegates’ registration link is the African Youth SDG Innovation Award
Additional Information on the Africa Youth SDG Innovation Award:
Media Purposes: By submitting an application, applicants give their consent to the organizers of the Africa Youth SDG Innovation Award to use their names, images, and information about their innovation for media purposes. This means that the organizers may utilize this information for promotional and publicity activities related to the award.
Disqualification: The organizers maintain the right to disqualify any applicant who does not adhere to the rules mentioned above or provides false information, including submitting counterfeit innovation ideas. It is important for applicants to be honest and transparent throughout the application process.
Final Decision: The jury’s decision is considered final and cannot be appealed. Once the winners are selected, their decision regarding the award recipients is conclusive, and no further challenges or appeals can be made.
Applicants should take note of these additional details and ensure their compliance with the rules and regulations set forth by the organizers of the Africa Youth SDG Innovation Award.
Overview
Types of opportunity: Grant
Deadline: June 11, 2023
Open to: 18 years to 35 years
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Organizer: The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA)
Country: Africans
Event Videos
To watch the Africa Youth SDG Innovation Award past event video click on the videos
https://www.uneca.org/eca-events/videos
For any information about the award visit Africa Youth SDG Innovation Award
