GATE | Gauteng Accelerating Township Economy Innovation Competition
Gauteng Accelerator Township Economy (GATE) is a new category added to GAP aimed at township originating and impacting innovations in line with the Gauteng Government’s Township Economy Revitalisation (TER) programme. The competition is aimed at identifying and nurturing township based innovations that will contribute to growth and development in township economy, improvement of service delivery within government, and promote productivity in the overall economy of the province and the country.
GATE Innovation Competition is inviting entrepreneurs, innovators, researchers and business owners based in Gauteng townships to submit innovative concepts for selection of winners from the five provincial corridors: Central (Johannesburg), Western (West Rand), Northern (Tshwane), Eastern (Ekurhuleni) and Southern (Sedibeng), focusing on the following sectors: ICT, Green Economy, Manufacturing, Public Health/ Medical and Biosciences.
The programmes seeks to equip inventors with the knowledge and skills necessary to sustainably commercialise their technologies/solutions to challenges essential productivity, growth and society’s wellbeing in the townships of Gauteng and other parts of the country. GATE has a skills transfer and business development component driven through the executive training programme, and the incubation at The Innovation Hub’s eKasiLab’s (Mohlakeng, Soweto, Alexandra, Tembisa, Sebokeng, Mamelodi and Garankuwa).
Entries Close 28 June 2019
Enquiries:gapgate@theinnovationhub.com
TIMELINES
Applications Open: February 2019
Applications Close: 28 June 2019
Semi-Finalist Training: 23 - 27 July 2019
Semi-Finalist Business Plans Due: 09 September 2019
Finalist Pitching: 15 & 16 October 2019
Awards: November 2019
Note: dates are subject to change, participants will be informed.
ADJUDICATION CRITERIA
Innovation: To what extent does the entry address a need, problem or opportunity in a new way? This can be in the underlying technology, the application of the technology, or the business model, but the award will be for the appropriateness of the innovation.
Business Potential/ Commercial Viability: Does someone want/ need what has been developed, and are they likely to pay for it?
Impact: Will the innovation and associated business create jobs, increase the competitiveness of local industry, improve the majority of citizens lives, or enhance government service delivery?
Feasibility: Is the technology or business model technically possible to execute within a reasonable time/ amount of resources, and does the team have the capacity to implement?
Benefit: Will the entrant benefit from incubation and seed funding, and are they likely to be able to participate in the incubation process consistently?
RULES
1. ELIGIBILITY
1.1. The competition is open to individuals, small teams and business entities operating from Gauteng townships [see list of townships]
1.2. Entrants are not required to be formally registered as a legal business entity to enter the competition, but semi-finalists must register in a form appropriate to an SMME or NPO to participate in incubation.
1.3. Entries from established businesses must not have a turnover of R5 million or more in the last financial year.
1.4. Individuals and companies that have been awarded funding or a prize through The Innovation Hub are not eligible to enter.
1.5. Individuals and companies that that are currently being incubated with eKasiLabs, Maxum Business Incubator, BioPark, Climate Innovation Centre or mLab Southern Africa are eligible for entry.
1.6. The Innovation Hub staff, members of the competition project steering committee and adjudication panels, and their immediate families, may not enter the competition.
1.7. Entrants should be willing and able to join incubation at The Innovation Hub as described below.
2. SCOPE OF ENTRIES
2.1. Entries must have potential for broad social impact in Gauteng, through the creation of jobs, enhancing service delivery by government, or improving citizens’ lives.
2.2. Entries will be accepted for all technologies or sectors; however preference will be given to entries that speak to corridor development priorities.
2.3. Entries need to demonstrate innovation in the business model, underlying technology, or the application of the technology.
2.4. Entries may be at concept stage, prototype stage or have demonstrated commercial feasibility.
3. SUBMISSION
3.1. Entries must be submitted through the web form.
3.2. Entries must be submitted on or before the closing date of the competition, which is 23h59 on 02 June 2017.
4. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
4.1 Each entrant retains ownership of all intellectual property rights that were held by the entrant prior to submission. The Innovation Hub Management Company (TIHMC), Gauteng Growth and Development Agency (GGDA) and Gauteng Department of Economic Development (GDED) give all assurances that the applicant shall remain the sole owner of their idea and that no steps will be taken by TIHMC, GGDA or GDED to assert any claims to any ideas presented.
4.2 Each entrant retains ownership of all intellectual property rights that were held by the entrant prior to submission.
4.3. The Innovation Hub Management Company (TIHMC), Gauteng Growth and Development Agency (GGDA) and Gauteng Department of Economic Development (GDED) give all assurances that the applicant shall remain the sole owner of their idea and that no steps will be taken by TIHMC, GGDA or GDED to assert any claims to any ideas presented.
4.4. Each entrant is responsible for ensuring that their entry does not infringe on third-party intellectual property rights.
4.5. TIHMC, GGDA and GDED and the competition partners are committed to ensuring the confidentiality of your ideas and will not share your information with third parties.
4.6. All adjudication panel members sign non-disclosure agreements (NDA) preventing them from using or sharing any information related to your entry.
4.7. As a potential entrant to the competition you should be aware of the provisions of the Intellectual Property Rights from Publicly Financed Research and Development Act, 2008 (IPR Act).
5. AWARDING OF PRIZES
5.1. Finalists will be awarded incubation with The Innovation Hub as well as a kickstart seed funding amount once the incubation contract has been signed.
5.2. All finalists will be eligible for the final awards presented in November which include a cash award and additional seed funding.
5.3. Winners will only be awarded funding once an incubation agreement has been signed with the relevant incubation programme.
5.4. You will receive the funding in tranches based on progress made towards the commercialisation of your innovation and business development. To access the seed funding you will need to participate actively in the incubation process.
5.5. Participation in incubation and acceptance of seed funding will not lead to any claims to your intellectual property, neither will it involve the incubator taking any equity in your business.
5.6. Winners will be expected to attend mentor and feedback meetings at eKasiLab premises, The Innovation Hub or at an alternative place as arranged with the mentor.
5.7. The incubation agreement may require that you participate in certain incubation activities such as engaging with a business mentor and joining relevant courses.
5.8. Entry into incubation and the award of a prize does not imply that your solution will be procured by any of the stakeholders in the competition.
6. GENERAL
6.1. Situations not covered by these rules will be resolved by the organisers of the competition, and their decision will be final.
6.2. The competition organisers reserve the right to amend these rules without notice, to clarify the competition requirements or to cater for an unforeseen situation.
6.3. The Innovation Hub Management Company (TIHMC) reserves the right to terminate the application of any candidate in the event that they put TIHMC into disrepute while in the competition process.
