The City of Johannesburg (COJ) has announced that it has extended the deadline for entries for the Community Innovation Challenge 2024, until this Friday, 20 December.
In calling for applications, COJ has held seven regional briefing sessions for potential applicants to ensure that they understand the scope of the competition requirements.
Key Challenge Focus:
The entire process was established for the city to acknowledge that much of the challenges faced by the city can often be overcome with innovations from people on the ground, who experience the challenges daily and who see an opportunity to improve the lived experiences of people in the city.
Speaking at a regional briefing in Braamfontein this morning, Hangwi Uphadzi, from WITS innovation hub, said that they would be looking to have a second round of engagements with a group of around 30 finalists from each area, where they would be assisting entrants to polish up their business concept proposals for a final presentation that would take place around April 2025.
Selection Process and Timeline
There would then be two winners from each area selected, that would go into an incubator type situation where they would be assisted in making their concept ready for launch into a trial period that will happen around June 2025.
The 14 finalists would then have a public vote on the desirability and practical value of the projects followed by judging from a panel of experts who will determine the final winners.
Winners Prizes
A single first place winner will receive R300 000 in funding with two second place winners of R200,000 funding and four finalists will receive R100,000 in start-up funding that is expected to fund a trial period so that full implementation can be assessed for adoption.
There are major problems we face in Johannesburg” says Hangwi, “and the answers lie in you the people of the City” he says.
Successful Challenge Showing Results
The concept follows a similar contest last year that challenged businesses to come forward with solutions to challenges faced by the city of Johannesburg. This has led to several projects being launched that ae tackling big issues that have proven successful and are now being scaled and rolled out across the city.
One such project tackled inefficiencies in Waste management and this has led to a R6 million contract with the City of Johannesburg to improve waste management processes.
“We are looking for similar projects that can be trailed and scaled into full functioning solutions that improve the lives of everyday citizens of the city” Uphadzi concluded.
