Applications are now open for the Innovation Exchange challenge, delivered by Innovate UK KTN through the Global Alliance Africa project, to support a large Agri-based Manufacturing Company with operations across Africa, who is looking for innovative solutions for grain threshing to reduce post-harvest wastage. Solutions need to be lightweight, affordable, and easy to maintain.
Sponsoring Agency: Innovate UK KTN
Type of Fund: Challenges, Competitions or Prizes
Deadline Available: Available
Deadline Date (mm/dd/yyyy): 07/08/2022
Size of the Fund: Less than USD $50,000
Applications are now open for the Innovation Exchange challenge, delivered by Innovate UK KTN through the Global Alliance Africa project, is supporting a large Agri-based Manufacturing Company with operations across Africa, who is looking for innovative solutions for grain threshing to reduce post-harvest wastage. Solutions need to be lightweight, affordable, and easy to maintain.
Target Audiences
They anticipate solutions may come from, but are not limited to, the following sectors:
- AgriTech
- Design
- Infrastructure
- Mechanical designers
- Engineering companies
Funding Information
The package may also include:
- Up to GBP 25,000 seed funding to work on the solution for this specific challenge in collaboration with the Challenge Holder. Funding will be paid in instalments, subject to de minimis aid regulations, due diligence check and milestone achievements (e.g. project plan, mid-project report and final report) and sign-off by the Challenge Holder.
- Support from KTN (e.g. pitch training and mentoring)
- Support in the development of a prototype or pilot
- Technical support
- Invitation to attend or present at IUK KTN events
Functional Requirements
- Solutions will be deployed in Kenya with the potential to scale up into Uganda and Tanzania and need to be suitable for the local environment.
- Solutions needs to be mobile allowing movement from one farm to the other, either via a motorbike or small vehicle
- Solutions needs to be robust and theft proof
- Need to be able to be repaired or serviced via local engineering/manufacturing avenues
- 1 prototype is required for trial
- Solution needs to be able to thresh, clean and grade a variety of grains such as sorghum, millet, pulses
- Desirable: Bag loader as part of the solution (bag weight: 50 kg)
Technical Requirements
- Average farm is 0.4 ha and current volume per ha would average 1500Kgs
- Solutions to offer one equipment piece serving a cluster of between 50-60 farmers
- Expected throughput of 400kgs per hr
- PTO driven equipment is not desirable due to low tractor availability
- Not sorghum alone as same farmers also thresh pulses and other cereals (millet, maize)
- Innovation should thresh (separate grain and chaff) and clean – winnowing
- Desirable: equipment easily adaptable for other crops.
Operating Conditions
- Solution will be applied in Kenya and needs to be suitable for the local environment, with average weather conditions of 25-30C, rainfall 500-1000mm/year
- Solution will be deployed under dry conditions but must withstand the local weather conditions
- Access to energy and power supply is limited, solar energy or other renewables might be available
- Solution must be small to medium size for easy movement across the farms
- Anticipated time spend on threshing: not more than 2h per farm
- Solution will be operated 24/7
- Solution must comply with local health and safety standards
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must be:
- Established businesses, start-ups, SMEs, individual entrepreneurs, or academics.
- Collaborative solutions (Business to Business B2B and B2R&D) are valid applications. If collaborative solutions are being submitted, a single lead organisation needs to register the application. This organisation can be either an industrial or academic partner.
- Priority is given to solution providers based in Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa. However, innovative solutions from other countries will be considered.
More information at: https://innovationexchange.ktn-global.org/challenges/178/affordable_and_easy_to_maintain_solutions_for?utm_campaign=Grains+iX+
Eligible Countries:
Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa
Business Categories:
Agriculture, Business,
