SAB Foundation Social Innovation and Disability Empowerment Awards for South African Entrepreneurs 2021

The South African Breweries (SAB) Foundation calls on local innovators and social entrepreneurs solving social problems facing disadvantaged South Africans to apply for its annual Social Innovation and Disability Empowerment Awards.

Application Deadline: 31st March 2021 at Midday

To be taken at (country): South Africa

About the Award: The SAB Foundation’s Social Innovation and Disability Empowerment Awards seek to reward the best ideas that enhance the lives of disadvantaged South Africans, focusing on women, youth, people with disabilities and those living in rural areas. The awards consist of two categories, each with its particular focus.

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. The Disability Empowerment Awards seeks and awards social enterprises which have come up with innovative solutions which improve access to the economy and/or solutions for disabled people.  People with disabilities are some of the most marginalised members of our society with an estimated 70% unemployment rate.  

Offered Since: 2011

Type: Social Innovation Entrepreneurship Programme

Eligibility: To be eligible for the SAB Foundation Social Innovation Awards Programme, contestants must

• Be South African – be part of a group, organization or individual.
  • Applications are open to all South African citizens of 18 years or older. All participants (“Entrants”) must submit a certified copy of their South African Identity Document with their online applications.
• Present original and innovative work
• The innovation can be a product or a process
  • 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 cost reduction.
  • 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 service delivery to beneficiaries, or enable practitioners to reach previously untouched groups or individuals.
• Show proof that before applying, they have spent time and/or money developing the innovation

Selection Criteria and Procedure: Once the online applications have closed, a panel of judges will assess the applications to evaluate whether they offer innovative solutions that are original, impactful, viable and applicable to the lives of disadvantaged South Africans.

A shortlist of up to 25 of the best applicants will then be selected and will be invited to attend a two-day workshop. At the end of the workshop, applicants will present their innovation solutions and up-scaling plans to the judges. Based on these presentations, the judges will select the final winners who will then be announced at a gala awards ceremony late 2021

Number of Awardees: Not specified

Value of Competition: The awards ranges from R200 000 – R1.3 million. On the evening, additional development prizes may be awarded at the judges’ discretion. 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 as well as a technical expert. The programme is flexible and is adjusted to the needs of each winner, as mutually agreed upon by both the winner and their mentor.

How to Apply: Online applications for the Social Innovation and Disability Empowerment Awards is open.

APPLY NOW.

Applications can be completed by following the relevant instructions in the Program Webpage.

Visit Program Webpage for details

Award Provider: South African Breweries (SAB) Foundation.