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Innovate Durban - Maritime Youth Innovation Challenge
Innovate Durban - Maritime Youth Innovation Challenge
After an inspiring, exciting and gruelling six-month challenge, innovators Smartipants were awarded first place in theMaritime Youth Innovation Challengeat the prize-giving awards ceremony held recently.
This is the fourth Youth Innovation Challenge, the flagship programme of Durban ideas and strategy incubator,Innovate Durban,with the 2018 challenge having a firm focus on the maritime industry.
Celebrating the innovators, a director onInnovate Durbanboard, Richard Gevers said, "The maritime industry is the heart of our country's economy. Understanding that, this journey has been inspiring to see our young innovators understanding and stimulating skills and activities around our busy ports."
The wining team: Smartipants comprising of innovators - Chiemela Onuka; Lindelwa Dlamini; Nonjabulo Gasa; Ntuthuko Msimango and Sandile Goqo. The five strong team focused their idea on port infrastructure enhancement.
Winning themselves a R50,000 grant from top global IT company, Oracle and Innovate Durban; a six-month Acceleration Programme with Innovate Durban; a three-month internship with Transnet, and internship and support with global engineering and infrastructure advisory company, Aurecon. Law firm Adams & Adams will offer free consultations to all three winners, and for the top winner, they are offering free trade mark applications and free registered design application.
Earning second place, the team Load Box made up of Solam Dontsa and Mpumelelo Tembe won a R35,000 grant through the Domino Foundation and Innovate Durban; a six month Acceleration Programme with Innovate Durban, and a three month internship with Transnet.
Third place was tied between Trailblazer and the Sagiya Foundation. The two-man team from Trailblazer focused their challenge on skills-development with shore-side staff in the ports optimising modern-day, technology-driven working environments. All four teams were recognised for their innovations at the CE Transnet Port Terminals awards last month.
The various stage winners will be included in Innovate Durban's Aftercare Programme which consists of mentoring, prototype development, regular brain storming sessions and learning exchanges, trainings and workshops. They also have access to partner organisation programmes and funding opportunities.