Deadline: 29-Mar-23

The Milken-Motsepe Prize in Green Energy is incentivizing entrepreneurs who have ideas for solutions to advance progress toward UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7: Ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all them apply now.

The primary aim of the Milken-Motsepe Prize in Green Energy is to expand access to reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity in Africa as an essential input to long-term economic growth and shared prosperity.

Prize Benefits

• Many entrepreneurs lack the information and tools they need to bring their innovation to life. In addition to the chance to win cash prizes, the Milken-Motsepe Innovation Prize program provides a rich set of opportunities for entrepreneurs, both during the competition and beyond.
  • Online Community
    • Simply complete the free prize registration process and you will join an online community of other entrepreneurs. The prize portal will give you access to:
      • Team matchmaking
      • Resources for entrepreneurs
      • Online training & help desk
  • Certificate Program
    • Semi-finalist teams will participate in a tuition-free, experiential learning program offered by Global Innovation Catalyst (GIC) in collaboration with Stanford Online. The GIC Innovation Execution (iX) program features the entire course content from Stanford’s Idea-to-Market entrepreneurship program. Teams will receive:
      • Stanford online certificate of completion (upon successful completion of course requirments)
      • Mentoring from industry experts
      • Pitch and feedback sessions
  • Winners Circle
    • Winning teams will join the Milken-Motsepe Innovation Prize Program winners circle following prize completion, with access to:
      • Investors
      • Data analysis
      • Networking opportunities.

Challenge

• Winning teams will demonstrate the ability to deploy distributed green energy solutions at scale in Africa, with the goal of dramatically expanding access to reliable electricity. Teams should make use of new technologies or should adapt existing technologies in innovative ways to generate at least 60 kWh of off-grid electricity daily (24 hours) using green energy sources.

Prize Breakdown

• Design Round: $20,000 (20 teams)
• Semi-Finalist Round: $70,000 (5 teams)
• Runner-Up: $250,000
• Winner: $1 million .

Eligibility Criteria

• Registration is free and open to everyone from around the world, with very narrow exceptions as defined. Participants can be a single individual or a team of individuals, including formally incorporated businesses. Young people, including minors, are welcome and encouraged to participate. However, all participating individuals under the legal age of majority in their primary residence must have an adult of legal age sign legal documents on their behalf.
• The following individuals or teams are not eligible to participate:
  • Any individual or entity organized or with primary residence in an embargoed country
  • Any individual or entity listed on OFAC’s Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List or other sanctions list administered by OFAC
  • Any current or recent employee or immediate family member of an employee of the Milken Institute or the Motsepe Foundation.

Judging

• A group of independent global experts from relevant industries and with knowledge of Africa and relevant market conditions will judge the submissions.
• The judges will be independent of the teams, the Motsepe Foundation, and the Milken Institute. In addition, they will have no conflicts of interest with any of those parties.
• Their judgments will be final and without appeal by entrants, the Milken Institute, or the Motsepe Foundation. In addition, in consultation with the prize organizers and advisory board, the judges have authority to change the number of teams advancing to subsequent rounds as well as the amount of any prize.
• The judges or their representatives may observe any test or demonstration performed in the competition, in person or remotely. Visits to demonstrations sites may occur without prior warning, but will generally be scheduled in coordination with team leaders.

For more information, visit Milken-Motsepe Prize.