Applications are being accepted for the Innovation Challenge, which seeks innovative solutions to address unmet needs in women's health and to support scalable health innovations within South Africa. The initiative aims to foster the development of locally relevant technologies that can improve access to affordable and effective health solutions.
Program Overview
• Organizers: The challenge is launched by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH through the SAVax Programme, on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the European Union, in partnership with the South African Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI).
• Initiative Context: It is implemented as part of the Team Europe Initiative on manufacturing and access to vaccines, medicines, and health technologies in Africa (MAV+).
• Core Objectives: The program aims to connect industry-defined challenges with South Africa’s innovation ecosystem, identify critical gaps, accelerate the commercialization of promising innovations, strengthen entrepreneurship, and create sustainable impact in South Africa and other low- and middle-income countries.
Focus Areas
• Key Sectors: The challenge is focused on women’s health, biotechnology, diagnostic screening solutions, pharmaceutical products, drug delivery solutions, innovation commercialization, entrepreneurship, and scalable solutions.
Challenge Streams
• Biotechnology Stream: Seeks innovative, scalable, and locally relevant diagnostic screening solutions that contribute to reducing the burden of disease affecting women in low- and middle-income countries.
• Pharmaceutical Stream: Seeks innovative, scalable, and locally relevant pharmaceutical products and drug delivery solutions that improve access to affordable and effective therapies for women’s health conditions in low- and middle-income countries.
Awards and Support
• Funding: One winner will be selected from each of the two streams. Each successful applicant will receive a grant of €75,000 to support the further development, validation, and scaling of their innovation.
Eligibility Criteria
• Eligible Entities: Applicants must be a start-up or small business registered in South Africa and compliant with applicable South African laws and regulations, or an independent research group or research group affiliated with an accredited academic or research institution.
• Innovation Requirements: The proposed innovation must align with the Biotechnology or Pharmaceutical thematic focus areas. Applicants must own, co-own, or have the necessary rights to develop and present the proposed innovation.
• Exclusions: Applicants must not be subsidiaries of, or have tax liability in, Germany or any European Union member state.
• Disclosure: Applicants are required to declare any actual or potential conflicts of interest.
Application Information
• Submission Requirements: Applicants must submit a completed application form and provide all required supporting documents.
• Application Deadline: August 31, 2026.
For comprehensive details and to access the application portal, interested parties are encouraged to visit the official GIZ website.