Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation shortlist announced

The shortlist of innovations in the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation was announced on Wednesday, comprising 12 new innovations from seven African countries.

The shortlisted candidates will participate in a six-month training and mentoring programme, during which they would interact with top business development and engineering experts, RAEng fellow and chair of the judging panel Malcolm Brinded said.

“The training will be focused on proving, scaling up and commercialising their engineering innovations,” he said.

Thereafter, three finalists would present their innovations. The overall winner would receive £25 000, and two runners-up, £10 000 each.

The shortlist includes a Kenyan innovation to enable interoperability between different mobile networks, a removable burglar-bar system for emergency exits, an affordable multipurpose cleaner and a mobile app to make card payments through phones and tablets.

Two South African innovations – a fence tampering warning system for farmers and an industrial process and quality control system for the fluids manufacturing industry – were in the top 12. Uganda had a full-cycle sanitation service to reduce pollution to the environment and prevent diarrheal disease on the list.

Zimbabwe’s innovations: a mobile device app to teach Shona, and portable crushing machines for small and medium-sized mining operations. Zambia entered a regulated fertiliser applicator for small-scale farmers.

Tanzania’s offerings: mechanical pressing to produce enzyme-free clear banana juice, and a method to produce safe drinking water.

“RAEng is delighted with the response to this first Africa Prize. We are looking forward to the next round of applications in April 2015,” Brinded concluded.

By: Leandi Kolver

http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/africa-prize-for-engineering-innovation-shortlist-announced-2014-10-01