The “ELIDZ STP Innovation Challenge 2025” is a call for innovators in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, to develop solutions that address pressing social and economic issues. Through this initiative, promising ideas can move from conception toward commercialization with support in mentorship, funding, training, and resources. The programme targets individuals, teams, and entrepreneurs whose proposals can generate measurable impact in key sectors such as agriculture, automotive, ICT, renewable energy, and manufacturing.
Application Details & Themes
Who Should Apply
- Open to Eastern Cape participants: individuals, teams, or entrepreneurs
- Applicants must reside in or demonstrate commitment to making a positive impact in the Eastern Cape province
- Especially welcoming those addressing community needs
Key Focus Sectors (Themes)
Proposals must address one of these five areas:
- Agriculture (Agro-processing & Aquaculture)
Example: Creating sustainable value-addition for local crops or aquatic resources. - Automotive
Focus: Developing eco-friendly mobility solutions suited for both urban and rural environments. - ICT & Electronics
Emphasis: Digital inclusion strategies that empower economically marginalized groups. - Renewable Energy
Aim: Decentralised clean energy solutions tailored for rural communities. - Manufacturing
Goal: Innovation and sustainability improvements in industrial production.
What Counts as “Innovative”
- A proposal should either be new, meaning not yet deployed for the selected challenge
- Or be a significant improvement over existing solutions, providing appreciable benefits to the target group or market
Process & Support
Application Process
- Complete all sections of the provided application form
- Team leader and all team members must sign the form
- Include all supporting documents together with the application
Participant Journey & Key Steps
- Submission of application
- Pre-selection phase
- Boot-camp training
- Refined application (if required)
- Final pitch
What’s Offered to Winners
Each winning proposal receives up to ZAR 100,000 (South African Rands) to support development/commercialisation. Additional benefits include:
- Access to a dedicated mentor
- Pre-incubation services (where available)
- Specialist support: commercialisation, intellectual property, product design
- Assistance with prototyping
- Help with marketing the idea or product
Deadlines, Contacts & Additional Information
- Closing date for applications: 25 September 2025
- For questions or clarifications, contact:
- Lwandile Mcingana: lwandilem@elidz.co.za
- Basanda Pongoma: pongob@unisa.ac.za
- The application must include all required documents and both signatures from leaders and team members.
The ELIDZ STP Innovation Challenge 2025 offers a well-structured opportunity for those in the Eastern Cape with transformative ideas to gain funding, mentorship, and critical support to scale their solutions. For innovators who meet the eligibility and care to address the call’s thematic priorities, this might be a gateway from concept to practical impact.