Cairo-- In order to create increased awareness about the Innovation
Prize for Africa (IPA) initiative and further get more tech-innovators to
submit their entries during next year’s awards, the ECA briefed delegates
attending the Africa Internet Governance Forum on the status of the initiative.
At a pre-event workshop held on
Tuesday October 2, Ms Eskedar Nega, a Programme Officer at ECA’s ICT, Science
and Technology Division (ISTD) described the IPA initiative, founded by ECA and
the African Innovation Foundation (AIF) in 2012, as an “African programme that
promotes and encourages innovation in the continent.”
“The IPA focuses on African-led
solutions aimed at recognizing innovative breakthroughs to unlock new African
potential and mobilizing leaders from all sectors to fuel African innovation,”
said Ms Nega, adding that the theme for the IPA 2013 is“the Future We Innovate”
with deadline for entries being October 31, 2012.
So far, applications have been
received from various countries – including Angola, Cameroon, Congo, Democratic
Rep. of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana,
Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal,
Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda and Mali.
“Just like last year, most of the
applicants are drawn from Nigeria and Kenya and we hereby urge innovators from
other African countries to submit their innovative ideas and projects. IPA has
further benefits for the finalists and winners in that it links them venture
capitalists to fund their project and also offers training as well as
networking opportunities,” said Ms Nega at the Africa IGF pre-event workshop
held at the Smart Village in Cairo, Egypt.
Dr. Mohamed Sanad - who emerged
overall winner of the 2012 IPA with his low-cost, base station antenna has that
can cover all wireless applications at different frequency bands including
WiMax, digital TV, CDMA and GSM – highlighted the features of his invention and
the impact the Prize had on his work in Egypt and globally.
Dr Sanad said that with initiatives such as IPA aiming
at promoting innovation, Africa should be able to export technology rather than
being a mere importer of technology, noting that the continent’s youth should
be encouraged to build confidence and become competent globally.
The workshop recommended that
policymakers need to promote an innovation ecosystem aimed at strengthening the
capacity of innovators and entrepreneurs; establish public and private institutions
which can drive innovation and increase the availability of resources to better
nurture the capacity of potential innovators in Africa. The session further
recommended that there is a need to raise awareness on the importance of
intellectual property rights to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship in
Africa.
The IPA prize honours and
encourages innovative achievements that contribute toward developing new
products, increasing efficiency or saving cost in Africa. The prize also
promotes among young African men and women the pursuit of science, technology
and engineering careers as well as business opportunities with potentials of
contributing to sustainable development in Africa.
Overall, it aims to among other
things: mobilize leaders from all sectors to fuel African innovation; 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.
The IPA anticipates that it will in future results will be
evident from increased commercialization of research and development (R&D)
outputs in Africa; increased funding of start-ups, adoption of new and emerging
technologies and accelerated growth of an innovative and dynamic private
sector; and increased economic activity and African led development that
results in lasting impact.
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