SAB Foundation awards open for entries

Follow the application process on www.sabfoundation.co.za to enter.

The awards seek to reward the best ideas that enhance the lives of disadvantaged South Africans, with a focus on women, youth, people with disabilities and those living in rural areas. The awards consist of two categories, each with its own 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. The SAB Foundation Disability Empowerment Awards was added as a special award category in 2016.

Measurable social impact

“We define social innovation as innovation that demonstrates both a sustainable business model and a measurable social impact. In the past seven years of the Social Innovation Awards, we have been impressed with the quality and calibre of ideas and businesses that we have been presented with, over many fields and industries, including health, education, environment, community cohesion and more. We hope to see many more applicants entering this year, so we can help take their ideas to the next level,” commented Bridgit Evans, director of the SAB Foundation.

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 in September 2017. At the end of the workshop, applicants will present their innovative 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 in Sandton on 19 October 2017.

The awards range from R150,000 – R1.2m. 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.