Applications for SAB’s Social Innovation and Disability Empowerment Awards open

Applications for the SAB Foundation‘s 10th annual Social Innovation and Disability Empowerment Awards are now open. Winning social innovators stand the chance of receiving up-to R1.3 million in funding for their innovations as well as business development support.

Over the last nine years, the SAB Foundation has invested over R67-million in social innovation, helping innovators increase their turnover by 125%, generate R159-million for the economy and create 614 new jobs.

“We have so many incredible social innovators who, with the right support, can drive change and improve lives. As well as funding, we offer innovators business development and mentorship aimed at helping them maximise their impact.

“Therefore, we’re calling on all social innovators to apply to the SAB Foundation Social Innovation and Disability Empowerment Awards when applications open later this month,” said SAB Foundation director Bridgit Evans in a statement earlier this month.

Over the last nine years, the SAB Foundation has invested over R67m in social innovation

Prizes awarded range from between R200 000 and R1.3-million and are used as an investment in the innovation.

In addition to the prize money, the winners will also be assessed on a case-by-case basis and placed in a tailored programme with a specially selected business mentor.

The programme is flexible and is adjusted to the needs of each winner, as mutually agreed upon by both the winner and their mentor.

The Social Innovation Awards are aimed at innovators, social entrepreneurs, institutions and social enterprises with prototypes or early-stage businesses that can solve social problems.

These products, services, business models and processes should directly address the challenges faced by low-income women, youth, people living with disabilities, or people living in rural areas.

The Disability Empowerment Awards seek and award social enterprises, which have come up with innovative solutions, which improve access to the economy or solutions for disabled people, while generating enough revenue to become sustainable over time.

Online applications are open from 24 February 2020 to 23 March 2020. Applications can be completed by visiting www.sabfoundation.co.za.

Previous award-winning innovations have improved efficiency and affordability in housing, healthcare, smallholder farming techniques, education, medical diagnostics, and cutting-edge technology solutions to support people with disabilities.

Eligibility criteria

Applicants are considered eligible if they meet the following criteria:

• The SAB Foundation Social Innovation and Disability Empowerment Awards will be open to any innovative solution that offers a credible prospect of meeting a demonstrable social or economic need evidenced by the foundation’s target low-income beneficiary groups (with a particular emphasis on innovation that benefits women, youth, people with disability and those in rural areas), as well as demonstrating potential as a sustainable business.
• Entries are welcomed from South African individuals, innovators, entrepreneurs, social enterprises and university departments. Applicants may enter as individuals on their own, or as members of a team, in which case one individual team leader shall complete the online application form.
• The innovation entered must be the original work of the applicant and a true innovation or a significant improvement on an existing technology, product, service, production method or business model.
• Product innovation covers innovations in both goods and services, which can be divided into new or improved products. A new product has different characteristics and intended uses than existing products. It may use new technologies, knowledge and products or a combination of these. An improved product is an existing product whose performance is significantly increased; in terms of either increased output or a reduction in cost.
• Process innovation is the adaption or creation of improved ways to deliver a product or service. It could come from changes in knowledge, perception and understanding. For poverty reduction, process innovations can increase the level of service delivery to beneficiaries, or enable practitioners to reach previously untouched groups or individuals.
• The innovation solution must have progressed past the “blue-sky” thinking stage: there must be some evidence of investment by the applicant. This means that applicants must be able to show proof that prior to applying, they have spent time or money developing the innovation: planning, developing and testing prototypes, market and industry research, developing a business plan.
• Applications are open to all SA citizens of 18 years or older. All participants must submit a certified copy of their SA ID with their online applications.

Read more: Meet the winners of SAB Foundation’s 2019 social innovation, disability empowerment awards

Featured image: The SAB Foundation Social Innovation and Disability Empowerment Awards 2019 winners (Supplied)