Eastern Cape Innovation Challenge | CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

Are you an Eastern Cape innovator with a solution for one of the Eastern Cape Province’s pressing challenges in the areas of Agriculture (Agro-processing and Aquaculture), Automotive, ICT and Electronics, Renewable Energy and Manufacturing?

This is an opportunity for your solution to receive support from an idea towards commercialisation!

INVITATION TO JOIN

The EC Innovation Challenge seeks to combat unemployment and drive socio-economic growth by empowering participants to create innovative solutions to pressing societal issues. It promotes a dynamic entrepreneurial network focused on job creation, especially among unemployed youth, university students, and the wider community.

Participants are encouraged to develop impactful products, processes, or services that address urgent challenges such as poverty, food insecurity, unemployment, and limited access to healthcare, education, energy, and clean water, particularly those affecting the Eastern Cape province.

Proposals that address societal challenges within the five identified sectors are invited. The most promising solution in each sector will be awarded prize money of up to R100,000, which will be used to support the development and commercialisation of the idea.

CLOSING DATE:

25 SEPTEMBER 2025

Who is Eligible to Apply

The programme is open to all Eastern Cape participants, including individuals, teams, and entrepreneurs residing in or committed to positively impacting the province. Proposals must focus on innovative solutions targeting the innovation competition themes below:

  • Agriculture (Agro-processing and Aquaculture): Sustainable Value-Addition for Locally Grown Crops and Aquatic Resources.
  • Automotive: Eco-Friendly Mobility for Urban and Rural Integration.
  • ICT and Electronics: Digital Inclusion for Economic Empowerment.
  • Renewable Energy: Decentralised Clean Energy Solutions for Rural Communities.
  • Manufacturing: Driving Innovation and Sustainability in Industrial Production.

An idea is considered innovative if it is new and has not been implemented before to solve the identified challenge or is a considerable improvement over existing solutions wherein the improvement provides a significant benefit to the target audience or market.

HOW TO APPLY

  • Complete the Application Form
  • All sections of the application must be completed.
  • The Team Leader and team members must also sign the form.
  • All accompanying documents must be submitted together with the application form

APPLY HERE

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

PARTICIPATION AND ASSESSMENT PROCESS

To ensure participation, applicants will be required to follow the process below:

  • Submit Application Form
  • Pre-selection
  • Boot Camp Training
  • Application
  • Final Pitch

WHATS IN IT FOR ME?

Each winning application will receive prize money (to the value of R100 000), which will go towards:

  • Access to a dedicated mentor to assist with the development and implementation of the idea/concept
  • Access to pre-incubation services where available
  • Access to a commercialisation specialist, IP specialist, and product design professional where applicable.
  • Prototyping
  • Assistance with marketing the idea/concept.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

ON THE ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

CLICK HERE

ENTRIES CLOSE: 25 SEPTEMBER 2025

Enquiries may be directed to:

Lwandile Mcingana: lwandilem@elidz.co.za or Basanda Pongoma: pongob@unisa.ac.za