Electricity and Control January 2020

ENGINEERING THE FUTURE

Entrepreneurial innovators shaping the continent

T he shortlist for the 2020 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation, run by the UK’s Royal Academy of Engineering, was announced in November in Cape Town, South Africa, recognising ambitious African innovators who are developing scalable engineering solutions to local challenges. This year’s shortlist of 16 talented innovators, representing six countries – Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda and, for the first time, Malawi – includes, among others, the creators of: - a smart lab and library on wheels – a mobile, solar-hybrid powered cart with gadgets and e-learning resources to encourage reading and teach STEM subjects in under- resourced schools - adigital platform that enables users of off-grid solar systems to manage their energy usage and pay for it remotely - a heat storage system that enables rural schools to cook food quickly and easily without firewood - an off-grid solar system that powers communal refrigerated storage spaces for small-scale commercial operations in rural regions - bamboo bicycles made from sustainable materials and recycled parts - a novel chemical process that turns crop waste into a range of affordable fertilisers - a digital system that automates and controls the collection, processing and sale of recyclable materials - and two innovations made from invasive water hyacinth – an affordable protein supplement for animal feed and a clean cooking fuel. Launched by the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2014, the annual Africa Prize awards crucial commercialisation support to the innovators who are transforming their local communities. The prize has a track record of identifying engineering entrepreneurs with significant potential, endorsing those who, with the support of the prize, have gone on to achieve greater commercial success and social impact. It demonstrates the importance of engineering as an enabler of improved quality of life and economic development. Alumni of the Africa Prize are projected to impact over three million lives in the next five years and have already created over 1 500 jobs and raised more than $14 million in grants and equity. Over the coming eight months, the candidates shortlisted for the 2020 prize will benefit from a unique package of support to help them develop their businesses. This includes comprehensive and tailored business training, mentoring, funding and access to the academy’s network of high profile, experienced engineers and business experts in the UK and across Africa. Following this period of support, four finalists are selected and invited to pitch their improved innovation and business plan to the judges and a live audience. The winner receives £25 000, and three runners up receive £10 000.

RebeccaEnonchong, AfricaPrize judgeandCameroonian entrepreneur, said: “For six years we have been humbled to work with African entrepreneurs who use engineering to shift how we think about problems, developing disruptive technologies for everything from energy and agriculture to housing, transport and finance. These are the local entrepreneurs who are transforming Africa, and we are once again honoured to guide and learn from the brightest minds chosen for the Africa Prize shortlist.” The Africa Prize is generously supported by The Shell Centenary Scholarship Fund and the UK government's Global Challenges Research Fund. Judges and mentors of the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation have provided over 1 970 hours of support to entrepreneurs since the prize was established. This equates to a value of roughly £985 000 in support. This year, the judges and mentors are: - Chair of judges – MalcolmBrinded CBE FREng, President of the Energy Institute, Chair of Engineering UK - Dr Ibilola Amao, Founder and Principal Consultant, Lonadek Consulting - Rebecca Enonchong, Founder and CEO, AppsTech - Mariéme Jamme, Co-founder of Africa Gathering and Founder of #iamtheCODE and SpotOne Global Solutions - Dr John Lazar CBE FREng, angel investor and technology start-up mentor.

For more information visit: www.raeng.org.uk/africaprize

Among the engineering innovators shortlisted for the 2020 Africa Prize are, from left: South African Adrian Padt for his DryMac containerised drying system that burns biomass instead of using electricity to dry and preserve harvested crops; Ghanaian Bernice Dapaah, who is making EcoRide bicycles from bamboo and recycled parts; and Ugandan Timothy Kayondo who has developed a water purifier that uses waste materials to produce an activated carbon water filter.

Electricity + Control

JANUARY 2020

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