The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the African Innovation Foundation (AIF) have announced the first Innovation Prize for Africa (IPA). The prize honours and encourages innovative achievements that contribute toward developing new products, increasing efficiency or saving cost in Africa. The prize also promotes among young African men and women in the pursuit of science, technology and engineering careers as well as business opportunities with potentials of contributing to sustainable development in Africa.
IPA acknowledges and encourages innovators and entrepreneurs in their endeavours, since they are one group of stakeholders that have not been considered under Africa’s development cooperation agenda.
The 2012 IPA will consist of two awards given to the two selected innovators/entrepreneurs in the following three thematic areas: ICTs; Green technology (energy and water); Health & Food security (including Agriculture).

The first prize will be USD100000 for the selected best innovators/entrepreneurs, and the second Prize will be USD50000 for the second selected innovators/entrepreneurs. IPA is an annual event and will be carried over during 5-year period, targeting innovators/entrepreneurs in various thematic areas, to be determined by the IPA Technical Advisory committee each year.

To apply, applicants are required to submit a full description of the project under each category entered. In addition, a duly completed application form should accompany all entries. The project description should clearly illustrate the social outcome and impact with regards to African development and the thematic areas chosen, and in line with the aforementioned assessment and selection criteria.

Entries that do not address projects in Africa and are undertaken by non-local African citizen are not eligible.
The deadline for IPA 2012 Applications is Friday, 30th September 2011 at 24:00 GMT strictly with no extensions given.

Online application form is available at http://aip.uneca.org/aif/index.php?option=com_fabrik&view=form&fabrik=7&random=0&Itemid=18