The Royal Academy of Engineering has shortlisted 16 engineering products for the 2022 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation.

These product types shortlisted are predominantly medical innovations including an off-grid neonatal crib for jaundiced babies, a portable solar-powered vaccine fridge, a hydrogen fuel-cell generator that runs on gas and a natural, plant-based fibre that can be used to clean up oil spills.

Others include a device that aps a patient’s veins onto their skin to aid nurses inserting drips or drawing blood; a system that helps nurses monitor patients and improve workflow.

To serve as crucial support to Africa’s innovators tackling local challenges, these Prize awards would help commercialize their scalable engineering solutions.

Other companies have developed commercial packaging from a variety of agricultural waste, transformed invasive plants into an absorptive fibre used to clean oil spills on land and water and created an aquaponics starter kit to grow their own fish and crops at home, complete with a remote monitoring system and online marketplace, the academy said.

In addition, among those shortlisted are entrepreneurs working on smokeless cooking stoves made from scrap metal, a cold-storage system for off-grid farming communities and a fuel-cell-based hydrogen generator that runs on liquefied petroleum gas.

Dr John Lazar, an Africa Prize Judge commented:

“This year’s shortlist demonstrates how technology can be used to drive development from a grassroots level, and we look forward to supporting these innovators in expanding their impact across Africa”.
Dr John Lazar, Africa Prize Judge

Other innovations provide communities with an online platform to exchange used goods like household appliances, clothing and more, using virtual currency.

There is also an outdoor and off-grid communal workspace that gives students free access to things including; WiFi and power, a prepaid bank card that requires no bank account and can be used worldwide giving the unbanked access to online purchases and cash from mobile money.

“Finally, an online platform helps small business owners hire and manage freelancers across a range of disciplines, outsourcing skills that are not part of their core business,” the Royal Academy of Engineering stated.

Furthermore, the new shortlisted innovators include the Africa Prize’s first Togolese and Congolese innovators, with nine countries represented, including Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Uganda. For the first time, half of the 16-strong shortlist are women, including the first woman from Ethiopia to be shortlisted for the prize, the academy noted.

Benefits to Innovators

This year’s cohort of innovators are being provided a package support, from November 2021 to June 2022 to help them accelerate their business. The scope of benefits to these innovators include comprehensive and tailored business training, bespoke mentoring, media and communications training.

The funding package also includes access to the Academy’s global network of high-profile experienced engineers and business experts, as well as access to the alumni network when the programme comes to an end.

The Academy noted that its alumni network of over 102 social entrepreneurs across Africa is projected to impact more than 3 million lives by 2027. Already, the alumni has created more than 1500 jobs and over $14 million in grants and equity have been raised so far.

The programme will be held as a digital experience, with intensive support through one-on-one and group sessions. Where possible, sessions may also be held in person, the academy said.

“Following this period of support, four finalists will be selected and invited to pitch their improved innovation and business plan to the judges and a live audience. A winner will be selected to receive £25,000 and three runners-up will receive £10,000 each. An additional One-to-Watch award of £5,000 will go to the most promising innovator, as selected by the live audience.”
Royal Academy of Engineering