Innovation Prize for Africa (IPA) 2015 now open. Closes October 31, 2014

http://innovationprizeforafrica.org/innovation-prize-for-africa-2015/

Innovation Prize for Africa (IPA) 2015 now open – USD 150,000 in prizes for continent’s brightest innovators to accelerate Africa’s development

“With 2000 innovators from 48 countries entering in its first three years; IPA 2015 takes investment in unleashing and supporting sustainable African led innovation past half a million USD.”

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA, 1 August 2014 – The African Innovation Foundation (AIF) is calling on all African innovators to submit their entries for the fourth edition of the Innovation Prize for Africa (IPA) competition. The IPA is presented annually, enabling and encouraging African pioneers to develop creative ideas and techniques to overcome some of the challenges faced by the continent and support sustainable development.

“At the African Innovation Foundation we are passionate about Africa and its potential, that we firmly believe will be led by empowering a new generation of African innovators and entrepreneurs.  But we also recognise that this new generation needs the resources and the opportunities to realise their ambition,” said AIF and IPA founder Jean-Claude Bastos de Morais.  “ IPA provides a platform to encourage and harness these entrepreneurial skills in order to help improve the lives of Africans and to help realise untapped potential. The prize is also a great way of unleashing creativity and promoting growth within the African continent.”

The IPA is becoming integral to facilitating ground-breaking thinking, creativity and driving awareness to the outstanding work being done in Africa by Africans. IPA 2013 winner, AgriProtein went on to raise $11 million to build its first two commercial farms in Cape Town.

“Africa needs meaningful investment to alleviate poverty and provide inclusive prosperity. To achieve this, we need to be able to provide environments that promote quality investment for the people and reduce risks. Forums like the IPA are necessary to make the most of the continent's investment," said AgriProtein spokesperson, David Drew.

All innovations are evaluated based on the following criteria: originality, marketability, scalability, social impact and Scientific/technical aspects. The best submission will be awarded a grand prize of USD 100 000.  The second prize of USD 25 000 will be awarded to an innovator with an innovation which has the best commercial and business potential. An additional award is a special prize granted to the innovator whose innovation has the best social impact in the community.

The IPA encourages entries in five key categories: Agriculture and Agribusiness, Environment, Energy and Water, Health and Wellbeing, ICT applications, and Manufacturing and Services Industries.

Recognising home grown innovative ingenuity, the prize contributes to increased funding of start-ups, adoption of new and emerging technologies and accelerated growth of the private sector.   With ever changing economic and social environments, it is critical that proposed solutions tackle issues affecting African lives, and that they are effective and are different from the existing ones.  

IPA 2014 named Dr Nicolaas Duneas and Mr Nuno Pires from South Africa the winners of the grand Prize and received USD 100’000 for their Altis Osteogenic Bone Matrix (Altis OBM TM), the first injectable porcine derived BMP medical device in the world — an innovative product for the treatment of bone injuries and voids through the use of a regenerative biological implant.

The IPA also beckons all investors, governments and other stakeholders interested in evaluating, investing and maximising the continent’s resources to participate in this innovative and empowering initiative and make a significant change through generous contributions that will accelerate the Africa’s economic growth.

The deadline for submitting applications for IPA 2015 is 31 October 2014 at 24h00 GMT. For moreinformation on competition categories, conditions of entry, and submission details, please visit:http://innovationprizeforafrica.org/.

About IPA

The Innovation Prize for Africa (IPA) is an award founded by the African Innovation Foundation. It mobilizes African innovators and entrepreneurs by providing a total of USD 150 000 to winners who deliver market-oriented solutions for African-led development. The IPA honours and encourages innovative achievements that contribute toward developing new products, increasing efficiency or cost savings in Africa. The prize also encourages private equity investors, government and development leaders to invest across sectors and build a climate that fuels Africa’s economic growth.  For more information and additional media background go to www.innovationprizeforafrica.org , and follow the IPA on Twitter and Facebook.

About AIF

The African Innovation Foundation (AIF) is a new model of 'next generation' African foundations, mobilising innovation across the continent for the personal, cultural and economic benefit of all Africans. AIF’s projects are aimed at releasing untapped potential in Africa, stimulating African ideas & perspectives within emerging industries and across diverse disciplines.  For more information visithttp://www.africaninnovation.org/

Contacts

Janine Raftopoulos, Burson-Marsteller

Phone: +27 11 480 8525

Email: Janine.raftopoulos@bm-africa.com

Pauline Mujawamariya, AIF 

Phone: + 41 44 515 5466 

Email: ipainfo@africaninnovation.org

Situational Awareness: Public Heath Infections in the U.S.

As emergency managers many individuals in your community are having concerns regarding the Ebola pandemic affecting West Africa (WA), and with the recent transport of infected U.S. citizens transported to the U.S. from the African continent.

In order to address the fear, and rumor control of those returning individuals and the West African outbreak.  Deadly diseases and infections are prevalent in the U.S. and have infected groups within America, but in not as large a number of individuals infected and unable to recover from infection in WA.

Annually public school districts, college and university campuses in the U.S. and internationally address endemic virus and bacterial outbreaks on their campuses and have plans to address these issues and in some cases result in the closing of campuses after monitoring and treatment of those infected is completed.

Pre-planning, preparation, and recovery planning are key factors in addressing small, medium, and large numbers of infected individuals within any community by public health, clinic, laboratory detection, hospitals, and infection control organizations worldwide.  Each entity working together to address local and national public health issues.

1.     Rare Seawater ‘Flesh-Eating’ bacteria kills 35 a year.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/10/02/florida-bacteria-oysters/2909585/

2.     Flesh eating bacteria infects Washington, D.C. area man.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-rt-us-usa-virginia-bacteria-20140731-story.html

Recommend a good visual ‘Hollywood’ film from the 1950’s.

            -Panic in the Street (1950). 

A doctor and a policeman in New Orleans have only 48 hours to locate a killer infected with pneumonic plague

Black Emergency Managers Association
1231  Good Hope Road  S.E.
Washington, D.C.  20020
Office:   202-618-9097
bEMA
“Our lives are not our own. We are bound to others, past and present, and by each crime and every kindness, we birth our future.” ― David Mitchell, Cloud Atlas