Finnish Innovations at the South Africa Innovation Summit - Call for Travel Grant Applications

Do you have an interesting Innovation that you would like to take further, showcase or develop with partners from Africa? FinCEAL Plus Africa is organizing sessions at the summit from 21st - 24th September 2016, Johannesburg South Africa as part of its continuing support to strengthen cooperation between Finland and Africa in Science, Technology and Innovation. Attracting more than 8,000 people, the event will be a strategic place to meet other researchers, innovators, investors, companies and public institutions to collaborate in advancing your innovation.

The South Africa Innovation Summit¹ has been running since 2008 bringing together researchers, government, innovators and investors. From an attendance of 80 people in 2008, the summit has grown to attract more than 8000 people. This year for the first time, through FinCEAL Plus², the platform will showcase innovations coming from an international partner.

FinCEAL Plus Africa is organizing sessions at the summit from 21st - 24th September 2016, Johannesburg South Africa as part of its continuing support to strengthen cooperation between Finland and Africa in Science, Technology and Innovation. The sessions will be an opportunity to market, broker partnerships and showcase innovations coming from Finnish Universities, Universities of Applied Sciences or Independent research institutions. Selected participants will have an opportunity to participate in the Match and Invest platform. A side-stream marketing the innovations is also planned during the event.

FinCEAL Plus has opened a call for travel grants to support the participation of 10 people from Universities/Universities of Applied Sciences/Independent research institutions to attend the summit.

1. TARGET GROUP

This call is especially targeted at groups/individuals from Universities, Universities of Applied Sciences or Independent research institutions working with advanced research projects leading to marketable innovations for which they are seeking partners in Africa. Potential partnerships could be with other research institutions, third, public or private sector. The collaboration could for instance involve

• Partnership with research institutions to develop the innovation further or
• Partnership to test the innovation locally or research on its applicability or
• Partnership on launching the innovation into the market etc.

2. AMOUNT OF GRANT AND USE

• The maximum grant amount will be 1500€.
• Grants will be granted on a basis of 1/group - for instance, if 2 people working on the same innovation apply, only person is eligible for the grant.
• People from the same institution working on different innovations can however apply and will be considered as separate applications.
• The grants can be used to cover travel, hotel and per diem. Registration fees are paid separately by FinCEAL

3. CRITERIA AND HOW TO APPLY

• Applicants should be based in a University/University of Applied Sciences or
• Be working with an innovation that is a current spin-off from a University/University of Applied Sciences/independent research institution project.
• The innovations should especially be targeting transitional or developing countries and be at an advanced stage i.e not an idea/inception stage
• The innovations should address at least one of the FinCEAL themes - Food Security, Climate Change, Renewable Energy, Health and Information Society (includes education).
• Applicants should be ready to avail marketing content to the FinCEAL coordinator when requested for publication
• Applicants should be ready to actively network and pitch their innovations to a wide audience at the summitTo Apply for this call, fill in the downloadable form on the UniPID website
• Applications should be sent only via e-mail to eva.m.kagiri (a) jyu.fi by August 15th, 2016. Decisions will be made by August 17th, 2016.

¹ More information on the South Africa Summit. A profile document can also be downloaded from the UniPID website.

² FinCEAL Plus is funded in 2015-2016 by the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture and implemented by UniPID. It is a continuation and expansion of the FinCEAL project (2013-2014) and aims to enhance Finnish cooperation with EU-Africa, EU-Asia and EU-CELAC in Science, Technology and Innovation (STI). More information

3. South Africa Innovation Forum Profile

4. Application Form for the FinCEAL Plus Travel Grants