Enter The Youth Innovation Challenge 2017

Create a Smart, Sustainable City Durban!

Calling all creatives.  Want to contribute to solving some of the challenges facing Durban?

Step up and be part of the revolution! Enter the 2017 Youth Innovation Challenge.  Great prizes up for grabs!  Innovate Durban has once again brought this competition to you.

Partners behind this challenge include eThekwini Municipality, Durban Chamber of Business, Oracle, Aurecon, ILO, The Government of Flanders, Nedbank, Thundafund, Open Data Durban, Adams & Adams, Life Co Unltd. and more.

This has ensured that there is a package of exciting prizes to be won!

General rules:

·         Only youth between ages of 18 – 35 years may apply for the competition component

·         Only online applications accepted for Stream 1 and 2

·         South African citizens are encouraged to apply

·         Previous participants may apply but preference will be given to first time applicants

·         The decisions made by the judges and Youth Innovation Challenge Committee is final

Criteria for Impact Entrepreneur Category:

·         Ethical fibre, passion and personal characteristics

·         Have a clear sustainable model

·         Realistic development plan

·         Have a clear social and or environmental mission

·         Type of impact created

·         Self-contribution by impact entrepreneur

·         Indication of buy-in from the community and community research

·         Innovative idea

·         Is the idea new in the market?

·         Evidence of having started or work done around the concept

Excludes: Franchises; Co-operatives

There will be 2 streams to this Challenge

Stream 1 will include a enterPRIZE Challenge which includes workshops, mentors and Crowdfunding on Thundafund to help them raise more funding for their idea. 

Stream 2 will include the Africa Design Challenge.  This has the aim of equipping youth with the skills to develop integrated solutions in response to City challenges. Some programming skills needed.  You will also need your own laptop. Team entries in groups of 5 will be considered.

Look out for briefings, training, workshops and much more.

To apply for the 2017 Youth Innovation Challenge go to: http://www.sedfafrica.co.za/enterPRIZE

Dates to remember:

16 March: Registration Open for enterPRIZE Challenge

16 April: Deadline for enterPRIZE Challenge entries

1 April: Registration open for Africa Design Challenge

30 April: Deadline for Africa Design Challenge entries

17-19 May: Africa Design Challenge Workshops (shortlisted candidates)

13-14 June: Solution Development day (Part 1)

22 June: Solution Development day (Part 2)

23 June: Presentation Day for Africa Design Challenge

19-20 July: Innovation Summit

20 July: Innovation Challenge Awards

Enquiries: Innovate Durban – email: Innovate.durban@durban.gov.za

Telephone: 031-311-4015

Web: www.sedfafrica.co.za

Facebook: www.facebook.com/SustainableEnterprizeDevelopmentFacility

Article by Fred Felton |   Twitter @fredfelton