Royal Academy of Engineering Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation 2027

Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation awards crucial commercialisation support to ambitious African innovators developing scalable engineering solutions to local challenges, demonstrating the importance of engineering as an enabler of improved quality of life and economic development. The Africa Prize is designed to support businesses and drive their growth. While one person will represent the programme publicly, our communications will showcase the entire company and team behind the innovation. Prize money is awarded specifically to scale the applicant's innovation and expand their impact.

• Table of Content
• About Royal Academy of Engineering
• Royal Academy of Engineering Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation
• Aim and Benefits of Royal Academy of Engineering Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation
• Requirements for Royal Academy of Engineering Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation Qualification
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

About Royal Academy of Engineering

Royal Academy of Engineering Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation

Aim and Benefits of Royal Academy of Engineering Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation

• Eight-month tailored training programme, including expert sessions, 1:1 financial modelling coaching and business support. 
• In-person training weeks.
• 1:1 sector-specific engineering mentoring from the Academy’s network of high-profile engineers in the UK and Africa. 
• Bespoke press coverage and communications support.
• The opportunity to present your innovation at the Africa Prize showcase event in a major African city. 
• Prize pot of £85,000 available, with prizes ranging from £5,000 to £50,000.

Requirements for Royal Academy of Engineering Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation Qualification

• 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. Innovations must be in the early stages of commercialisation and have strong potential to be replicated or scaled up.
• Applicants can apply as an individual or on behalf of a team. 
• The applicant must be a citizen of a country in sub-Saharan Africa*. For teams of two or more, the lead applicant (the person participating in training) must be a citizen of a country in sub-Saharan Africa*.
• Where a venture has one or more co?founders based outside sub?Saharan Africa, the Africa?based lead applicant must hold at least 50 percent equity in the venture at the time of application.
• The applicant must be ordinarily based in sub-Saharan Africa*; if based overseas, this must be temporary for studies or otherwise. 
• The applicant must be over the age of 18 when applications close on 8 September 2026. There is no upper age limit. 
• The applicant must have a high level of English proficiency, which will allow them to fully participate in the entire programme. The application must be written in English. The programme does have francophone experts to support applicants whose first language is not English. 
• The applicant cannot be an alum of the Africa Prize or part of the same team, business or innovation that has been through the Prize. 
• Industrial researchers and establishments are not eligible.
• Alumni of the Academy’s Advance programme or alumni of the Leaders in Innovation Fellowship (LIF) programme who participated after June 2024 are not eligible to apply to the Africa Prize. LIF alumni who participated in the LIF programme before June 2024 may be eligible if they can evidence through their application why participation in the Africa Prize is necessary and/or will add value to them and their business.

Innovation requirements

• The innovation must be based in a country in sub-Saharan Africa* 
• The innovation can be any innovative product, technology or service, based on any area of engineering defined in its broadest sense to encompass a wide range of fields. The lead applicant is not required to be an engineering graduate or student to apply.
  • This includes but is not limited to: agri-tech, biotechnology, chemical engineering, civil engineering, computer science, design engineering, electrical and electronic engineering, ICT, materials science, mechanical engineering, and medical engineering. If you are in any doubt that the area your innovation operates in would be considered as engineering, then please contact the Academy to discuss your application.
• The innovation must be beyond the ideation stage and in the early stages of commercialisation. The innovation must:
  • Bring social and/or environmental benefits to sub-Saharan Africa*.
  • Have a strong potential to be replicated and scaled up.
  • Be accompanied by an ambitious but realistic business plan that has strong commercial viability

Check also:
Commonwealth Master's Scholarship to Study in UK 2027/2028
Mandela Washington Fellowship for Africans 2027 (Fully Funded to USA)

Application Deadline

How to Apply

All applications must be submitted via the online grant management system (GMS), available here: https://grants.raeng.org.uk. You must register through the system before you can apply.

For more Information, visit Royal Academy of Engineering webpage