The Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation, founded by the Royal Academy of Engineering, is Africa’s biggest prize dedicated to engineering innovation. The Prize awards commercialisation support to African innovators developing scalable engineering solutions to local challenges. These innovations show the importance of engineering in improving quality of life and economic development.
The Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation, founded by the Royal Academy of Engineering, is Africa’s biggest prize dedicated to engineering innovation.
The Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation was launched in March 2014 to stimulate, celebrate and reward innovation and entrepreneurship across sub-Saharan Africa.
Since then it has provided invaluable training, mentoring and communications support to 149 businesses across 23 countries. It also has an established alumni programme with 71% of Africa Prize alumni currently generating revenue. Our alumni have also raised $39 million in grants and equity.
Eligibility Criteria
Entrepreneurs are invited to apply with innovations from any engineering discipline that can provide scalable solutions to local challenges.
Applicants should be in the early stages of commercialising an engineering innovation that:
- Is accompanied by an ambitious but realistic business plan that has strong commercial viability
- Has strong potential to be replicated and scaled up
- Will bring social and/or environmental benefits to a country or countries in sub-Saharan Africa
- Is based in, and will benefit, a country in sub-Saharan Africa.
The innovation can be any new product, technology or service, based on research in any field of engineering, including:
- Agricultural technology
- Biotechnology
- Chemical engineering
- Civil engineering
- Computer science
- Design engineering
- Electrical and electronic engineering
- Materials science
- Mechanical engineering
- Medical engineering.
If you have questions about whether your innovation would be considered as engineering, please contact the Africa Prize team to discuss your application at
For more information, have a look at the Africa Prize interactive tool which showcases all current and previous shortlisted innovations.
We do not accept:
- Innovations that are still at idea stage
- Innovations that are designed for military purposes or purely for economic gain.
Offered Benefits
The Africa Prize offers a unique benefits package for up to 16 shortlisted participants to help accelerate their business including:
- Access to business and technical expertise and sector specific engineering mentoring.
- Bespoke press coverage and communications support.
- Eight month tailored training programme.
- Access to the Academy’s network of high profile engineers and business experts in the UK and Africa.
- The opportunity for finalists to present their innovation to a judging panel at the Africa Prize showcase event.
- Prize money of up to £25,000.
