The Next Einstein Forum (NEF) on Tuesday evening announced 25 finalists for its Challenge of Invention to Innovation (Ci2i) competition. The finalists include three Ugandans; Philippa Ngaju Makobore, Nsereko Mike, and Menyo Innocent.
The finalists who are also the third cohort of Ci2i finalists, are grouped in five categories and will take on the challenge at the NEF Global Gathering that is scheduled for next month in Nairobi, Kenya.
“The third cohort of Ci2i finalists, selected from 260 applications, are ambitious African innovators developing scalable solutions to local challenges in agriculture, integration and logistics, personalized and precision health, power and energy,” Ms. Nathalie Munyampenda, Managing Director NEF said in a statement.
The finalists were selected, with the support of Co-creation Hub, Nigeria — having created promising inventions that could be solutions to problems faced today by people, communities across Africa.
Makobore, Nsereko, and Menyo with the rest of the finalists are being treated to a lab-style bootcamp before the NEF Global Gathering. The bootcamp will involve pitch preparation and investment readiness sessions. At the end of the bootcamp, the young sciencepreneurs will gain knowledge of how to create and deliver value through their solutions as well as understanding funding options and valuations.
On the D-day, after pitching, winners in each of the five categories will receive a USD$25,000 (approx. UGX91.7 million) cash grant. In addition, they will be connected to investors in a one-of-a-kind Sciencepreneur Investor Meetup.
Makobore invented an affordable Electronically Controlled Gravity Feed Infusion Set (ECGF) that regulates and delivers intravenous fluids or medication to patients.
Nsereko developed a peer to peer mobile/blockchain technology that reduces Africa’s high cost of remittances from 14% to 7%, and even further to 2%.
Menyo Innocent developed a portable affordable power efficient ultrasound devices, MSCAN — that are compatible with laptops, tablets and mobile phones.
NEF is an African Institute for Mathematical Science (AIMS) initiative in partnership with the Robert Bosch Stiftung that connects science, society and policy in Africa and the rest of the world — with the goal to leverage science for human development globally.
The NEF believes that Africa’s contributions to the global scientific community are critical for global progress. At the centre of our efforts at NEF, is Africa’s young people, the driving force for Africa’s scientific renaissance.
Meanwhile, NEF Global Gatherings are the NEF’s marquee event. Far from an ordinary science forum, the gatherings position science at the centre of global development efforts. In the presence of political and industry leaders, and with a strong focus on youth and women, the voices of global science leaders’ have the opportunity to be heard and to have major impact on Africa’s scientific future.
The inaugural NEF Global Gathering was held in Senegal in 2016. Later in Rwanda in 2018, and now comes to Kenya this year.
