Home | Innovation Bridge Portal

Join the ecosystem

The path of a visionary can be hard, complex and lonely. We have to interact with a complex network of organisations and people, and have to make decisions on issues that are difficult and often confusing. Not knowing what to do, or when to do it, often means having to work longer hours, sometimes with people who don’t always understand our vision for a better tomorrow. But it doesn’t always have to be that way.

We invite you to become a part of our Innovation Bridge Platform, a community designed to show you the way forward in this living, moving and complex ecosystem. You will be introduced to innovations; enterprises; business support offerings and investment opportunities, each playing their part in creating a prosperous African continent.

Just as living things thrive under perfect conditions, we believe that your endeavor’s can flourish in the right ecosystem.

Innovator

Are you an innovator?

You don’t want to start your own enterprise, but have a passion for creating new knowledge, processes, products, or models. You’re probably a researcher that wants others to benefit from your unique intellectual property and, looking to license or further develop your innovation.

Entrepreneur

Are you an Entrepreneur?

You want to be your own boss and have the drive to recognize opportunities and transform them into valuable enterprises. Or you already have an established enterprise(s).

Investor

Are you an Investor?

You want to support the creation of socio-economic wealth by investing monetary and non-monetary resources into services, enterprises and products. If so, start here:

Click Here

Do you guide, enable, and support the ecosystem?

You or your enterprise provide valuable support to innovators and entrepreneurs along their journey. Whether your support comes in the form of legal, business or financial advice or a fully-fledged incubator or technology station, we invite you to showcase your unique support offering to the ecosystem.

Ecosystem Supporter

Do you support or enable?

Does your organization enable and support our platform’s ecosystem roleplayers? If so, start here:

Happenings

Keep up to date with the latest ecosystem events and opportunities.

Alsea Foundation Prize for Research Projects 2026: USD150,000 Funding for Food and Nutrition Research

The Fundación Alsea, AC, in partnership with World Vision México, has opened applications for the Alsea Foundation Prize for Research Projects 2026. The international research funding initiative supports innovative and impactful research projects focused on food systems, nutrition security

Solar Mini Grids: Strategies to Unleash their Potential

The transition toward inclusive and resilient energy systems requires more than expanding electricity access, it demands scalable, community-centred solutions capable of unlocking socio-economic development in underserved regions. Solar mini-grids have increasingly emerged as a critical

UNICEF Venture Fund Climate Ventures 2026: Equity-Free Funding for Climate and Health Technology Startups

The UNICEF Venture Fund has launched the Climate Ventures 2026 Call for Applications, inviting startups developing frontier technology solutions at the intersection of climate change and children’s health to apply for equity-free funding and support. The initiative is part of UNICEF’s five-year

Our Partners

The Innovation Bridge Portal is an initiative of the South African National Departments of Science & Innovation (DSI), and Small Business Development (DSBD). The initiative is supported by the European Union (EU) and its content does not necessarily reflect the views of the EU.