Grassroots Innovation Programme: About 100 innovators to present ideas, products

This will be made possible by the Department of Science and Technology's Grassroots Innovation Programme (GIP), which will be unveiled on Thursday.

About 100 grassroots local innovators will have a chance to develop and commercialise their ideas and products.

This will be made possible by the Department of Science and Technology's Grassroots Innovation Programme (GIP), which will be unveiled on Thursday.

To be implemented by the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), the programme seeks to help boost inclusive socio-economic development in South Africa through research and innovation.

The department said at least 100 participants had to come up with proposals, at the early proof of concept stage, with the potential to solve social challenges or provide technology solutions to specific needs.

The programme has already being piloted between 2016 and 2018, during which several projects were funded to the value of R2 million.

One of these, the Geyser Hot Spot, is currently in the market and can be retrofitted on both horizontal and vertical high-pressure geysers, allowing consumers to access about 50 litres of water at a temperature of at least 50 degrees Celsius in less than 30 minutes.

(With Inputs from South African Government Press Release)