India and South Africa signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on July 07, 2016 in Pretoria to strengthen cooperation in grassroots innovation. Under this MoU, the South African Department of Science and Technology (DST) through the Technology Localization Implementation Unit (TLIU) in partnership with the India DST through the National Innovation Foundation-India (NIF) committed to a grassroots innovation technology exchange platform. The MoU also provides for the sharing of open source technologies and identifying opportunities for accelerating the deployment of innovations for social benefit and commercialization from grassroots innovators.

In line with this MoU, the South African DST through the TLIU and the India DST through the NIF are pleased to announce the first call of the grassroots innovation exchange platform to invite grassroots innovators to submit their innovations on the grassroots innovation platform. This platform aims to support grassroots innovators and from both countries to socially and commercially disseminate, jointly develop or enhance their innovation products that address specific social needs in both countries and to support efforts for the innovators to increase their revenues by creating demand for their products both in India and in South Africa. Interested participants are invited to submit their applications by no later than 15 January 2018. The call is open from 27 November 2017 to 15 January 2018.

The TLIU of the DST South Africa shall host briefing sessions on this call between 11 to 22 December 2017. Additional information on this call shall also be made available at the TLIU website for the South African innovators and on the NIF website for Indian innovators. Applications for participation to this call must be submitted to the following:

NIF in India:

Dr Vipin Kumar
Director/Chief Innovation Officer
Address: National Innovation Foundation- India, Grambharti, Amrapur, Gandhinagar-Mahudi Road Gandhinagar, Gujarat Pin: 382650
Telephone: 02764261131/ 32/ 38/ 39
Email: director@nifindia.org
Fax: +91-11-43851803

TLIU in South Africa:

Mr Ashley Bhungwandin
Manager: Technology Localization Implementation Unit,
Meiring Naude Road, Brummeria, Private Bag X894 PRETORIA
Pretoria 0001, South Africa
Email: ABhungwandin@csir.co.za

Telephone : +2712 841 4241 / +27 31 242 2342

Closing Date: Monday, 15 January 2018

Link on the website of DST South Africa - http://www.dst.gov.za/index.php/media-room/latest-news/2401-india-south-africa-joint-grassroots-innovation-call-2017-a-call-for-novel-grassroots-innovations-with-potential-for-social-dissemination-and-commercialization