7th Africa Energy Innovation Competition
Requirement and guidance for submitting papersAbout the Competition
The 7th Africa Energy Innovation Challenge is set to energize the economic growth and sustainability of early-stage firms and clean energy start-ups in Nigeria and across Africa. The aim is to develop innovative, practical, and bankable energy solutions for households and businesses, based on low-carbon technologies.
This competition challenges early-stage energy entrepreneurs from Africa to collaborate with local research institutions or industries to develop a prototype model of a key device/equipment for a social energy enterprise, fintech solutions, or energy management system using local resources.
Eligibility and How to Apply
Young professionals between the ages of 18 and 35 years from Africa are invited to participate in the competition and nominate a relevant local research institution or organization. Applications may be submitted by a team of at least three people.
At least 1 member of the team must be from the local research institution or industry. Teams may be formed across different schools, institutions, companies, countries, etc. Individuals or teams may submit multiple applications.
Prizes and Recognition
The finalists and winners will be selected by an independent panel of industry experts and experienced development professionals from public and private sector institutions.
Winners of the competition get the opportunity to:
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Receive cash prize grants of up to USD5,000 to demonstrate or scale the proposed solution;
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Pitch their proposed prototype model at the 2022 Nigeria Energy Forum, using a poster and short video;
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Benefit from unique networking opportunities with other young professionals as well as some of the most senior decision-makers in government, international development, academia, and the private sector; &
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Attend business development workshops, and receive support from a dedicated start-up incubator.
Competition Guideline
| Project Title | Your solution (250 words) |
| Partner organisation(s) | Expected impact (50 words) |
| Short abstract (50 words) | Design tools and method (50 words) |
| Problem Statement(50 words) | Estimated costs and timeline (50 words) |
Submissions must be in Microsoft Word or PDF format by email to info@thenef.org.
- The Subject line of the email should follow the format: [Country] Title of the Project.
- Submissions that exceed the page limit may be disqualified.
Shortlisted submissions would be invited to participate in the final round by submitting a 1-page poster to summarize their design, with a detailed budget, a 2-page Design Brief, and a Short 2-minute video to pitch.
Evaluation Criteria
The first round of submissions will be evaluated using the following attributes:
Local Content: utilize local resources, demonstrate use of local expertise, alternative energy services or efficient solutions for powering agriculture, education, healthcare, industries etc.; and be significant enough to impact large numbers of people, households and/or businesses.
Originality and creativity: present solutions that are original, creative in areas that are either underdeveloped or severely underdeveloped in research and literature.
Commercial Viability: proposed prototype model should be realistic, practical rather than just theory, cost efficient and outline commercial arrangements that address obvious roadblocks, using a specific prototype model.
Clarity: ideas should be presented in a clear and concise manner with realistic completion timeline.
NEF 2021 INFOGRAPHIC
COMPETITION TIMELINE