Congratulations to the Winner of the Milken-Motsepe Prize in FinTech!
The Milken-Motsepe Prize in AI and Manufacturing is now open for registration!
green energy hero

University of Cape Town: UCT graduates take home over R4.5m in Motsepe-backed prize

Omnivat, a renewable energy startup founded by five University of Cape Town (UCT) graduates, are the runners-up of a prestigious energy innovation competition backed by billionaire Patrice Motsepe.

With a cash prize of $250 000 (R4.6 million), they set out to explore partnerships with healthcare facilities in the Eastern Cape as pilot sites for their project – essentially a power system consisting of solar panels, batteries, and hydrogen, pre-packaged in a shipping container. The innovative design creates a shaded marketplace that provides reliable power to users, even when the sun isn’t shining, News24 previously reported.

 

Read the full article here.

More News

News clips

Launch Base Africa: Billionaire-Funded Program Offers $2m Equity-Free to African AI & Manufacturing Startups

A new $2m equity-free prize programme, backed by South African billionaire Dr. Patrice Motsepe and the Milken Institute, is putting AI and manufacturing at the centre of Africa’s tech ambitions. Announced at the 2025 Milken Institute Global Conference in Los Angeles, the Milken-Motsepe Prize in AI and Manufacturing is the fourth and most ambitious iteration of a growing innovation challenge series focused on solving Africa’s structural challenges through technology. This time, the focus is squarely on artificial intelligence and smart manufacturing — areas that have so far seen only limited African participation despite their global momentum. Read the full article here.

Read More »
News clips

Engineering News: Milken-Motsepe launches $2m Africa AI, manufacturing challenge

Development think tank the Milken Institute and philanthropy organisation the Motsepe Foundation have announced the Milken-Motsepe Prize in AI and Manufacturing. The challenge calls on entrepreneurs worldwide to deploy AI, data analytics and smart-factory technologies that can localise production, reinforce supply chain resilience and create high-quality jobs across Africa.   The challenge will award $2-million in total, including a $1-million grand prize, and seeks breakthrough solutions that, in combination, can harness advanced technologies to optimise production, reduce waste and localise value chains. It is also looking for solutions that encourage models that promote equitable access to essential goods, such as healthcare, food processing, affordable construction materials, as well as solutions that unlock job creation and export potential across African economies. Read the full article here.

Read More »