Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation 2027

Overview Applications are open for the 2027 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation, founded by the Royal Academy of Engineering. The Africa Prize supports African innovators developing scalable engineering solutions to local challenges and helps them move from technical innovation toward commercialisation, customers, impact and scale. The prize is structured as an eight-month entrepreneurship programme rather than only a funding competition. Selected innovators receive tailored entrepreneurship training, expert mentorship from the UK and across Africa, communications and media training, and access to a strong alumni network. Who this is for This is best suited to ambitious entrepreneurs from sub-Saharan Africa who have developed an engineering-based product, technology or service addressing a local sustainable development challenge and showing potential to be replicated or scaled. Organizer Royal Academy of Engineering. Format and location Type: engineering innovation prize / entrepreneurship programme. Location/format: open to eligible applicants from sub-Saharan Africa; application and programme stages include online components. Deadline Stage 1 applications must be submitted by Tuesday 8 September 2026 at 4:00 PM UTC+1. Late submissions will not be considered. Benefits and support highlighted The Africa Prize awards commercialisation support and prize money. Current official programme information says the prize awards GBP 85,000 annually, while the shared post highlights up to GBP 50,000 in prizes. Selected innovators receive eight months of tailored entrepreneurship training, expert mentoring, communications and media training, business support, and access to an alumni network of more than 180 businesses across more than 20 African countries. Application stages Stage 1 focuses on the applicant, the engineering solution, technical viability, team details and basic eligibility. Eligible applications are reviewed by technical experts. Longlisted candidates are invited to Stage 2, which covers business plan, market analysis, financial projections and commercialisation strategy. Shortlisted innovators join the eight-month programme. Documents and details to prepare - CV - technical documentation for the innovation - images and videos showing the solution - valid supporting documents - team details and applicant profile - clear problem statement and engineering solution description - evidence of technical viability and innovation potential - early commercialisation, customer, user or market evidence where available - business plan, market analysis and financial projections if invited to Stage 2

Eligibility The Africa Prize is looking for ambitious entrepreneurs from sub-Saharan Africa who have developed an engineering-based solution to address local sustainable development challenges. Applications from both engineers and non-engineers are welcome, but the innovation must be engineering-based, in an early stage of commercialisation, and have strong potential to be replicated or scaled up. Key applicant requirements from the official guidance include sub-Saharan Africa connection, age over 18 at the application deadline, high English proficiency, and ability to participate in the programme. The applicant can apply individually or on behalf of a team, but the lead applicant participating in training must meet the eligibility requirements. The innovation can be a product, technology or service in any area of engineering broadly defined, including agri-tech, biotechnology, chemical engineering, civil engineering, computer science, design engineering, electrical/electronic engineering, ICT, materials science, mechanical engineering, medical engineering and related fields. Eligibility checklist - applicant or lead applicant is a citizen of a sub-Saharan African country - applicant is ordinarily based in sub-Saharan Africa, unless temporarily overseas for study or another acceptable reason - applicant is over 18 by the application deadline - strong English proficiency for the programme and application - engineering-based innovation addressing a local sustainable development challenge - early commercialisation stage with potential to scale - not an Africa Prize alumnus or part of the same team/business/innovation already supported through the Prize - not an industrial researcher or establishment, where excluded by the guidance - CV, technical documents, images/videos and supporting documents ready for Stage 1 Before you apply - read the official application guidance notes - confirm eligibility for your country, applicant status and innovation stage - prepare the Stage 1 application carefully; it may take around 90 minutes - submit before 8 September 2026 at 4:00 PM UTC+1 - use the official Africa Prize application system linked from the Details page