[AfrICANN-discuss] ECA and AIF launch prestigious February 2012 African Innovation Prize

[Anne-Rachel Inné]

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*Subject:* [aisi-l] ECA and AIF launch prestigious February 2012 African
Innovation Prize


*ECA and AIF launch prestigious February 2012 African Innovation Prize*

The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the African
Innovation Foundation (AIF) are delighted to announce the African Innovation
Prize (AIP) to be awarded for the first time in February 2012. This
prestigious and well-endowed award aims at encouraging innovations that
contribute to sustainable development in Africa.

With this award, AIF and UNECA acknowledge, support and encourage innovators
and entrepreneurs- the group of stakeholders who till now have been neither
considered nor benefited under Africa’s development cooperation agenda.

"Innovation is a combination of identifying problems, and finding
groundbreaking implementable solutions; we hope the prizes will contribute
to tapping into the ingenuity of Africans to solve Africa’s problems,” says
the ECA Executive Secretary and Under-Secretary General, Mr. Abdoulie
Janneh.

He adds: “Currently, ideas, innovation and knowledge are what is driving the
world, and transforming economies.  It is therefore fitting and appropriate
that the African Innovation Prize is targeting a unique group of
stakeholders - innovators and inventors in the area of ICTs, Green
Technologies and Health & Food Security.”

“The AIF is very proud of the cooperation with ECA and expects numerous
innovation projects to compete for the prize. There is so much untapped
talent on this continent,” adds Mr. Walter Fust, Chairman of the AIF.

The amount allocated towards the winners for the selected innovators and
entrepreneurs, in the three thematic areas of ICTs; Green Technologies;
Health & Food Security are two generous prizes: First prize USD 100,000; and
USD 50000 for the second prize.

The registration deadline for the 2012 prize has been set for September 30th,
2011 with no possibility of extensions.

The organizers expect the prize to promote among young African men and women
the pursuit of science, technology and engineering careers and business
applications. The aims are to:

-        Create a platform for identification of innovative concepts and
projects submitted by applicants that could be supported by AIP;
-        Promote innovation across Africa in key sectors of interest through
the competition;
-        Promote science, technology and engineering as rewarding, exciting
and noble career options among the youth in Africa by profiling successful
applicants; and
-        Encourage entrepreneurs, innovators, funding bodies and business
development service providers to exchange ideas and explore innovative
business opportunities.

In pursuing those aims, the AIP expects the following outcomes:

-        Increased commercialization of research and development (R&D)
outputs in Africa;
-        Increased development of start-up, adoption of new and emerging
technologies and accelerate growth of an innovative and dynamic private
sector; and
-        Increased general economic activities that result in long term
sustainable development

Over the coming five years, AIP will be targeting innovators/entrepreneurs
in different thematic areas to be determined each year by the Technical
Advisory Committee.

For detailed information of competition categories, conditions of entry, and
submission procedures, please visit:
*http://www.uneca.org/AIF/AIP*<http://www.uneca.org/AIF/AIP>
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