National Cleantech Innovation Challenge (NCIC) Gauteng – Smart Mobility Cleantech Challenge 2026

The National Cleantech Innovation Challenge (NCIC) Gauteng – Smart Mobility Cleantech Challenge 2026 is a flagship initiative under South Africa’s Just Transition to the Future programme. Hosted by the Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct, this challenge seeks scalable, post-proof-of-concept digital cleantech solutions to address Gauteng’s growing urban mobility crisis.

Johannesburg Gauteng’s economic hub is facing severe congestion, high transport costs, and unsustainable emissions. The average driver loses approximately 141 hours annually to traffic congestion, while 60% of households spend more than 10% of their income on public transport. At the same time, the province’s transport system is characterised by a fragmented formal network and a dominant informal minibus taxi economy.

This challenge aims to identify and scale innovative digital platforms that can:

• Reduce congestion and emissions
• Improve accessibility and affordability of public transport
• Integrate formal and informal transport modes
• Support equitable e-mobility adoption
• Generate actionable data to improve transport planning

Successful solutions will contribute to transforming Johannesburg’s transport ecosystem into a smarter, greener, and more inclusive mobility system—while creating a model that could be replicated across other African cities.

Geographic Scope

• Country-specific: South Africa
• Province-specific: Gauteng Province (primary implementation focus)

Although applications are open globally, all solutions must demonstrate direct applicability to smart mobility within Gauteng.

International applicants may participate in partnership with locally registered entities, provided the proposal clearly includes localisation, skills transfer, and job creation components.

Challenge Focus Areas

Applicants must propose digital-only cleantech solutions addressing one or more of the following:

1. Accelerating E-Mobility Adoption

• Digital platforms enabling equitable access to EV charging
• Solutions addressing grid instability
• Tools supporting infrastructure optimisation and usage analytics

2. Public Transport Optimisation

• Real-time tracking systems
• Route optimisation platforms
• Digital ticketing and payment systems
• Formal–informal transport integration

3. Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS)

• Integrated multimodal travel platforms
• Unified user interfaces connecting buses, taxis, rail and e-mobility

4. Intelligent Traffic Management

• AI-driven congestion forecasting
• Predictive analytics for traffic flow optimisation
• Road safety enhancement systems

5. Informal Transport Data Generation

• Digital tools to map, analyse and optimise informal mobility systems
• Data-driven planning support tools

Eligibility Criteria

As outlined in the official eligibility documentation 

ELIGIBILITY

Applicants must meet the following:

1. Solution Type – Digital-Only Cleantech

• Software-based, data-driven platforms (e.g., SaaS, analytics models, mobile applications)
• Must demonstrate clear, measurable environmental benefit
• Hardware-centric innovations are excluded (e.g., physical vehicles, charging hardware, sensors)

2. Development Stage – Post-Proof-of-Concept

• Technology must be tested and validated
• Ready for pilot implementation
• Pre-proof-of-concept ideas and academic research projects are not eligible

3. Founder & Company Profile

• Founder or key leader must be working full-time on the venture (or willing to commit full-time)
• Open to early-stage and growth-stage companies globally

4. Market & Contextual Fit

• Solution must directly address mobility within Gauteng
• Must demonstrate nuanced understanding of Johannesburg’s hybrid formal–informal transport ecosystem
• Business model must be resilient to infrastructure constraints and socio-economic realities

What We Are Not Looking For

• Hardware design or manufacturing
• Early-stage concepts or research-stage innovations
• Solutions without quantifiable environmental impact
• Business models not adaptable to Gauteng’s realities

Opportunity Type

Innovation Challenge / Scale-Up Support Programme

Click HERE to visit the official website.