Botswana Innovation Hub (BIH) has sent out a call for solutions to address the COVID-19 pandemic challenges.The call made under the 3rd call for Botswana Innovation Fund (BIF) is open for applications from the 18th April to the1st May 2020.
According to the hub, the 3rd proposals is targeting entrepreneurs, applications developers, indigenous knowledge holders, social enterprises, civil society and non-governmental organisations.“The COVID-19 pandemic fight requires us to be flexible and adaptable, the BIF instrument has adapted to the current situation and accommodated funding of innovative solutions in response to the challenges of the pandemic. As a disruption to the norm as we know it, the COVID 19 challenges present opportunities for innovators to innovate for now and the future. These innovations will form part of the positive outcomes of the COVID 19 when we reflect on all our efforts to fight the pandemic,” said BIH Chief Executive Officer, Alan Boshwaen.
He said the call places emphasis on innovative digital solutions, working product prototypes that are ready to scale and address the COVID 19 pandemic and its associated socio-economic effects. Additionally, the solutions will be sustained by IP development and registration, technology transfer and commercialisation. “It is envisaged that private sector entities will have an opportunity to invest or participate in the implementation of the chosen solutions.”
The call will be targeting solutions that include mobile and web-based solutions, data enabled solutions with the ability to analyse and publish information on the go, working protypes of products, processes, value added services, community social interventions, tools and gadgets that may be of high demand during and post the COVID 19 pandemic. BIH says it is expected that the solutions will be aimed at addressing, amongst others, challenges in public health systems, public service delivery, transportation and payments, logistics and value chains and many others.