Call for Proposals: TIA Youth Technology Innovation Fund

Technology Innovation Agency (TIA or the Agency), an initiative of the Department of Science and Technology, has a mandate to enable and support technological innovation across all sectors of the economy in order to achieve socio-economic benefits for South Africa and enhance its global competitiveness.

The Agency is a public entity with the aim of enhancing the country’s capacity to translate a greater proportion of local research and development from higher education institutions, science councils, public entities and private research institutions into commercial technology products and services.

Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) was established in terms of the TIA Act, 2008 (Act No. 26 of 2008), with the objective to stimulate and intensify technological innovation in order to improve economic growth and the quality of life of all South Africans by developing and exploiting technological innovations.

As part of initiatives to achieve its strategic objectives, TIA has established the Youth Technology Innovation Fund (YTIF) aimed at promoting and stimulating the culture of innovation and entrepreneurship among the young people by providing access to financial and business support resources. The fund is targeted at young people between the ages of 18 to 30 years that are not already funded through the normal TIA process.

YTIF will be driven to deliver on developing pipeline of innovative technologies for various economic sectors through:

• Supporting technology innovative opportunities that have technical and commercial end points;
• Increasing technology innovation and entrepreneurial capacity amongst South African young people by offering business support services such as incubation and mentorship programme;
• Facilitating strategic partnership with TIA - funded investments to enable young people to share knowledge, expertise and utilise the infrastructure at Technology Stations and Platforms.

Exclusion Criteria

TIA reserves the right not to consider Funding Proposals:

• Which seek to expand the usage of recreational drugs and the promotion of sex trade;
• Whose applicant is not a South African citizen.

Application Process

• Complete a registartion form and email to Youth.Fund@tia.org.za or fax to 086 644 8756 to obtain a registration number on or before 15th February 2012;
• With allocated registration number, complete the YTIF Funding Proposal Template. Submit before 29 February 2012 at 16h00;
• All forms are accessible on TIA website.

Should you require further information in relation to the Youth Technology Innovation Fund Call For Proposal, contact Dr. Margaret Mkhosi, Tel: 012 472 2717, E-mail: Margaret.Mkhosi@tia.org.za.

For more about the Technology Innovation Agency, refer to www.tia.org.za.

To view other opportunities, visit www.ngopulse.org/group/home-page/other-opportunities.