The Impumelelo Innovations Awards
Unearthing & Rewarding African Solutions to African Problems.
More than 300 innovative projects have received Impumelelo Innovation Awards since 1999. Projects are awarded in the Social Entrepreneur (R50 000), Platinum (R50 000), Gold (R40 000), Silver (R20 000) categories, and runners up receive a Star merit certificate.
National and international corporations and foundations sponsor Impumelelo awards.
The monetary award must be used to share a project's success story with others to encourage the adaptation of their innovation in other contexts around South Africa.
The Awards Cycle
Phase 1
Applications are invited from all government departments, civil society organisations, special interest groups,and the private sector. Submissions are screened and assessed against the award criteria, leading to the selection of finalists for evaluation.
Phase 2
Professional teams are convened to assess finalists by means of site visits, interviews and relevant data gathering. A report is generated on each finalist and presented to Impumelelo's National Selection Committee. Exhibit materials are prepared by each project in anticipation of the next phase.
Phase 3
The National Selection Committee gathers for the screening and adjudication of the finalists. This meeting culminates in an gala awards ceremony, where the winning projects are announced. An Innovations Exhibition is also held to showcase past award-winners and current finalists. Other local and international projects may also be invited to display new ideas and exciting innovations.
Phase 4
Impumelelo partners with the award-winning projects to spread information using various media to disseminate their social innovation to the public in general and government in particular.

