US pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson has launched the Africa Innovation Challenge, an initiative to support Africa's growing innovation ecosystem and to help develop sustainable consumer health solutions.
The challenge seeks novel ideas that focus on three critical health areas: promoting early child development and maternal health, empowering young women, and improving family well-being.
Participants with the best solutions will receive up to $100 000 in funding and mentorship from scientists, engineers and researchers in the Johnson & Johnson Consumer Research & Development organisation.
"Through the Africa Innovation Challenge, we have the opportunity to support the continent's top entrepreneurs through mentorship and other resources, and by working together with local talent, to bring forward new solutions to local healthcare challenges," says Paul Stoffels, MD, executive VP and chief scientific officer at Johnson & Johnson.
The winner of the challenge could also receive dedicated space at a lab facility in Africa throughout their product or service development, dependent on the needs of the solution submission. Award recipients will be announced in February 2017.
"The Africa Innovation Challenge is an exciting initiative for our entrepreneurial and scientific communities," says Thomas Maina Kariuki, director of alliance for accelerating excellence in science in Africa at African Academy of Sciences (AAS).
"The challenge provides the kind of mentorship and resources that can really advance an entrepreneur's vision, and it showcases the terrific young talent across Africa. AAS is proud to support this initiative and we look forward to collaborating throughout the challenge."
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