SAB Foundation 2026 Social Innovation Awards Programme for Innovative Entrepreneurs (2.2 Million Rand in Cash Prize). – Opportunities For Africans

Application Deadline: 16 March 2026 (noon)

Applications are actually open for the SAB Foundation Social Innovation Awards Programme. The Social Innovation Awards programme is geared toward entrepreneurs and social enterprises whose merchandise, companies or enterprise fashions reply to actual obstacles confronted by ladies, youth, individuals residing in rural areas and individuals with disabilities. They recognise innovators with prototypes or early-stage companies tackling social challenges throughout sectors comparable to well being, housing, rural livelihoods, power, water and monetary inclusion.

The awards supply funding, alongside tailor-made mentorship, technical help and enterprise growth help to assist strengthen and scale early-stage ventures.  Since 2015, the programme has invested over R88 million in funding and enterprise growth help, backing greater than 200 innovators. These ventures collectively make use of greater than 4 000 individuals and help over 16 000 livelihoods. 

THE SOCIAL INNOVATION AWARDS
The award is geared toward innovators/social entrepreneurs/establishments/social enterprises with prototypes or early-stage companies that may resolve a social downside.

THE DISABILITY EMPOWERMENT AWARDS
The award is geared toward innovators/ social entrepreneurs/ establishments/ social enterprises whose improvements concentrate on empowering and enabling individuals with disabilities entry financial Opportunities.

Eligibility Requirements

• If you may have beforehand acquired help from the SAB Foundation by the Tholoana Enterprise Programme, you aren’t eligible to apply.
• The SAB Foundation Social Innovation and Disability Empowerment Awards are open to any innovation answer that gives a reputable prospect of assembly a demonstrable social
  and/ or financial want evidenced by the SAB Foundation’s goal low-income beneficiary teams (with a selected emphasis on innovation that advantages ladies, youth, individuals with
  disabilities and folks residing in rural areas), in addition to demonstrating potential as sustainable companies.
• Entries are welcomed from South African people, innovators, entrepreneurs, social enterprises and college departments. Entrants might enter as people on their very own, or as
  members of a group, in which case one particular person group chief shall full the net application kind.
• The innovation entered have to be the unique work of the applicant and a real innovation and/ or a major enchancment on an current expertise, product, service, and manufacturing
  technique or enterprise mannequin.
• Product innovation covers improvements in each items and companies, which will be divided into new or improved merchandise. A brand new product has completely different traits and supposed
  makes use of than current merchandise. It might use new applied sciences, data and merchandise or a mixture of those. An improved product is an current product whose efficiency is
  considerably elevated; in phrases of both elevated output or a discount in price.
• Process innovation is the adaption or creation of improved methods to ship a services or products. It might come from modifications in data, notion and understanding. For poverty
  discount, course of improvements can enhance the extent of service supply to beneficiaries, or allow practitioners to achieve beforehand untouched teams or people.
• Applications are open to all South African residents, 18 years or older. All individuals should submit a licensed copy of their South African identification doc with their on-line purposes.
• The innovation/answer will need to have progressed previous the “blue-sky” pondering stage: there have to be some proof of funding by the applicant. This implies that candidates have to be
  in a position to present proof that previous to making use of, they’ve frolicked and/or cash growing the innovation: planning, growing and testing prototypes, market and trade analysis,
  growing a marketing strategy.

HOW TO APPLY

1. Online purposes open on 10 February 2026 and shut on 16 March 2026 at noon.
2. Read by this brochure to check in case your organisation or concept could be a great match for the Social Innovation and Disability Empowerment Awards primarily based on its impression on at the least one of many 4 focus areas (ladies, youth, individuals with disabilities or individuals residing in rural areas).
3. Select the programme you’re making use of for: SOCIAL INNOVATION AWARD or THE DISABILITY EMPOWERMENT AWARD
4. Read by the net application steerage doc.
5. Complete the net application kind. The hyperlink is offered on the SAB Foundation web site (sabfoundation.co.za/social-innovation-awards) or click on right here to undergo to the application web page.
6. Make positive you full and submit your application earlier than the deadline.
7. Early submissions are strongly inspired.
8. The SAB Foundation Social Innovation and Disability Empowerment Awards search one of the best concepts to reinforce the lives of beforehand deprived South Africans. Specific consideration shall be given through the judging course of to the race, gender, age and incapacity standing of candidates.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the SAB Foundation Social Innovation Awards Programme